Help Evergreen Coops get to Austin
Donation protected
Launched in 2008, Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperative Initiative is working to create living-wage jobs in six low-income neighborhoods, with a median household income below $18,500, in an area known as Greater University Circle. With a network of linked worker-owned cooperative business—Evergreen Cooperative Laundry, Evergreen Energy Solutions, and Green City Growers—Evergreen is bringing opportunity and a stake in the ownership of the local economy to residents of some of Cleveland's most distressed communities.
For the first time ever, a delegation of Evergreen worker-owners are preparing to attend the national conference organized by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, to tell their stories and build connections with their peers from across the country. These worker-owners—Tameka Darby, Ernest Graham, and Claudia Oates—need your help to cover the costs of their travel and registration. All money raised will go directly to covering the costs of getting these worker-owners to Austin.
“I would be honored to attend the USFWC conference to learn more about co-ops as well as speak on the positives of being in a co-op, which I can attest to firsthand”.
Ernest Graham is the Harvest Manager at Evergreen’s Green City Growers Cooperative (GCG), which is ranked as the largest food-production greenhouse in a core urban area in the U.S. and which produces tasty, nutrient-rich, pesticide-free lettuce, herbs, and micro-greens year round. Ernest was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where he was a chef for more than half of his working career. For the past three years, since February of 2013, he has been working for the Evergreen Cooperatives where he rose to a management role by leading by example. He is well liked by his staff and fellow worker-owners.
“I am eager to attend the conference to find the strengths and weaknesses of other cooperatives as well as share what I have learned. It would be a honor and a privilege to speak on the panel during the conference.”
Claudia Oates is the Operations Manager at Evergreen Cooperative Laundry, the first of three cooperatives in the Evergreen family. She has been with the company almost since the beginning, assisting with business development as an advisor in 2011 and later joining full time in 2012. Though senior management is ineligible for ownership at the Evergreen Cooperatives, ECL’s membership voted to make a special exception for Claudia, who has now officially became a worker-owner. When asked what she does all day, she responds, "I do laundry. But we are not your typical laundry! We do laundry, trailers of laundry for different clients, like hospitals and hotels, but our company's goals are to stabilize the community, to create jobs, and generate wealth.”
“I would like to attend the conference to gain more knowledge about being in a cooperative and
to share ideas and interest with others.”
Tameka Darby is a worker-owner at Evergreen Energy Solutions Inc. (E2S), an Evergreen portfolio company focused on helping business, institutional, and residential clients save money and reduce their carbon footprint, using state-of- the-art, next-generation LED lighting systems, solar power and other energy-efficiency solutions. Tameka joined E2S in 2014 and currently serves as the Operations Administrative Assistant. She recently celebrated her second year anniversary at the co-op. Tameka enjoys cooking and spending time with family.
If you are in Austin, or planning on attending the National Worker Cooperative conference, don't miss the panel in which Claudia and Ernest are presenting at 1:15 on Sunday 7/31!
For the first time ever, a delegation of Evergreen worker-owners are preparing to attend the national conference organized by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, to tell their stories and build connections with their peers from across the country. These worker-owners—Tameka Darby, Ernest Graham, and Claudia Oates—need your help to cover the costs of their travel and registration. All money raised will go directly to covering the costs of getting these worker-owners to Austin.
“I would be honored to attend the USFWC conference to learn more about co-ops as well as speak on the positives of being in a co-op, which I can attest to firsthand”.
Ernest Graham is the Harvest Manager at Evergreen’s Green City Growers Cooperative (GCG), which is ranked as the largest food-production greenhouse in a core urban area in the U.S. and which produces tasty, nutrient-rich, pesticide-free lettuce, herbs, and micro-greens year round. Ernest was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where he was a chef for more than half of his working career. For the past three years, since February of 2013, he has been working for the Evergreen Cooperatives where he rose to a management role by leading by example. He is well liked by his staff and fellow worker-owners.
“I am eager to attend the conference to find the strengths and weaknesses of other cooperatives as well as share what I have learned. It would be a honor and a privilege to speak on the panel during the conference.”
Claudia Oates is the Operations Manager at Evergreen Cooperative Laundry, the first of three cooperatives in the Evergreen family. She has been with the company almost since the beginning, assisting with business development as an advisor in 2011 and later joining full time in 2012. Though senior management is ineligible for ownership at the Evergreen Cooperatives, ECL’s membership voted to make a special exception for Claudia, who has now officially became a worker-owner. When asked what she does all day, she responds, "I do laundry. But we are not your typical laundry! We do laundry, trailers of laundry for different clients, like hospitals and hotels, but our company's goals are to stabilize the community, to create jobs, and generate wealth.”
“I would like to attend the conference to gain more knowledge about being in a cooperative and
to share ideas and interest with others.”
Tameka Darby is a worker-owner at Evergreen Energy Solutions Inc. (E2S), an Evergreen portfolio company focused on helping business, institutional, and residential clients save money and reduce their carbon footprint, using state-of- the-art, next-generation LED lighting systems, solar power and other energy-efficiency solutions. Tameka joined E2S in 2014 and currently serves as the Operations Administrative Assistant. She recently celebrated her second year anniversary at the co-op. Tameka enjoys cooking and spending time with family.
If you are in Austin, or planning on attending the National Worker Cooperative conference, don't miss the panel in which Claudia and Ernest are presenting at 1:15 on Sunday 7/31!
Organizer and beneficiary
John Duda
Organizer
Cleveland, OH
Roz Ciulla
Beneficiary