Kids Co-op - "Collective Power = Results"
The Kids Co-op "youth members" and Montana Co-op "professional mentors" are building mini-homes for the homeless and developing a supportive village to live and work in. This non-profit pilot project is known as "The Pablo Village."
This project has been in the planning phase for several years and we have now secured 48 acres with 2 large buildings on the former Plum Creek Mill site to build out the mini-homes (using recycled materials) and place on the property. We're planning on developing this land (and other reservation towns) into a cohousing community of people that will work together on the property to produce food, shelter, and provide meaningful work and healthy activities.
The Kids Co-op have several missions including educating on the benefits of worker owned co-op's. We create ways that help youth get hooked on good things including career opportunities surrounding our basic needs like growing food and building our own homes! The Kids Co-op serves young people with activities and events, including music, robotics, arts, boxing, native dance, aerial arts, drama, home building, and life development. See our activities on Facebook
Please consider supporting our community of care to help our youth create positive change in their lives and those they serve.
How You Can Help?
Your gift will support the Pablo Village work to provide a drug, alcohol, and tobacco free center and activities for youth and adults.
1. Financial gift (once or recurring).
2. Sponsor a Kid (once or recurring; See our activities on Facebook ):
Classes average $50/month per kid. Any amount will help us secure grants for scholarships and expand our programs to reach more youth!
3. Sponsor a Kids Co-op Business: several industries available including art, body products, and all areas of food access (fresh produce to prepared meals).
a. A gift to support the program
b. Mentor the youth with a skill you have
c. Hire the Kid’s Co-op for these services: meal catering, snow removal, lawn care, packing and moving, and gardening.
4. Get involved
a. Volunteer
b. Montana Co-op Board of Directors
All gifts are tax deductible. Kids Co-op EIN# 47-5618742 DLN# 26053443001346
Please make checks payable to the Kids Co-op. Our address is 34224 S. Finley Pt. Rd., Polson, MT 59860
For more information, call Jason Moore at [phone redacted] or visit our website at: www.MontanaCoop.com
Like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/montanacoop
"Together We Thrive"
MORE INFORMATION BELOW:
We have the momentum of creating positive change, utilizing the Co-op model and empowering the next generation in supporting our efforts to live healthier and more sustainable? The Kids Co-op consists of youth that have a passion for business in a cooperative work environment.
We're in our toddler phase of accomplishing big plans to service every community in Montana with a Food Hub, where local food and products are aggregated and shared with the local people. Each Food Hub will have a Kids Co-op chapter. The Kids Co-op is owned, managed, and worked by the youth. It is our goal for many of the Food HUB's to be fully staffed and managed by the Kids Co-op members.
The Montana Co-op Pablo HUB is the second 'community driven' food hub we have started. The first location was in Polson, MT where the Montana Co-op/Kids Co-op worked a community development program for two years to identify the needs and cooperate with others to fill those needs. This community engaging program is called "Heart & Soul" from Orton Family Foundation and is the first step for the Montana Co-op in setting up a new food hub. The goal is for all Montana Co-op food hubs to share in resources (website, transportation, programs, and services) and healthy support in the form of Education, Local Food (fresh as possible), Exercise, Fun (music, art, dance, performances), Friendships, Youth Center & Outreach, Economic Development, Cohousing Development, & Community Development.
The Montana Co-op's process of building community and developing new Montana Co-op Food Hubs starts with people coming together to unite their community by first discovering the needs and values, then organize with like-minded people that form strong project teams. To gain a better understanding of this value identification and community building process, see Orton Family Foundation - Heart & Soul website: http://www.orton.org/what-we-do/what-community-heart-soul
Here are two video's from Heart & Soul in Polson: http://www.orton.org/projects/polson_heart_soul
In June 2014, we rented a vacant building dowtown Polson, MT (5k people; Flathead Reservation), and fixed it up to gain occupancy and begin fulfilling our mission of serving the community needs. Also in 2014, the Polson Heart & Soul project was nearing completion of a 2-year, $100,000 grant, matched by the City of Polson, to discover what the people value about living in Polson and what they would like to change. After the 2 years of research and analyzing data, we came up with 8 core values of our community. As part of the ACTION phase of the Heart & Soul program, we formed 8 committees representing each of these identified values. We now need people to join these committees to help us collaborate and accomplish the projects and needs of our community under each of these values. The 8 identified values are detailed in this video: https://vimeo.com/91358239
In August 2017, we moved out of the Polson, MT downtown location and began our plans for the new Food HUB in Pablo, MT with 48 acres and two large buildings.
We're excited to be where we're at with our Montana Co-op, but we need support from committed people and partner organizations. The implementation stage is a difficult one, but the benefits include everyone's wellbeing now and in the future. Please help with financial support or sent an email or call us with your ideas and suggestions on how you can help and how we can collaborate. Together We Thrive!
What we are?
The Kids Co-op is a collaboration with Montana Co-op to enrich children and families. The Kids Co-op is managed by the youth and young adults. The youth learn field to table and real life skills. Education, mentoring, and leadership for the next generation of Montanans. Our services are mostly related to health, community or youth.
Where are you?
We are currently having meetings at our Pablo Gym where several activities are occurring and new ones planned including boxing, native dance, language, robotics, growing food and selling in a new market outside. For fun, and part of our health, we have music lessons, open mic, and a co-op art and music group. We have many educational classes for people of all ages including "Food is our Medicine," "4 Agreements," "Robotics," "Womens Support Group for Breast Feeding," and "Leadership Development."
Why people should fund us?
Our services reach many youth in many different ways. Our focus is serving the needs of the community based on solid data discovered during the Heart & Soul program. Buying from local farms and businesses builds and strengthens our local economy. It supports your friends and neighbors. We have to figure this out together, not just folks living in Polson, Pablo, Hot Springs, or Montana, but across the country. The Montana Co-op is committed to working with others towards positive changes and our solutions include:
*Create more healthy food products and share throughout the state. This immediately creates jobs and stimulates economic growth.
*Help people understand that a reliable supply of fresh local produce promotes better health and food security.
*Mentoring and empowering the next generation.
*Encourage relationships between local producers and consumers, as this is an essential component of improving food systems.
The Montana Co-op is setting up a Food Hub in every community that will make those consumer and producer connections. This is just the beginning of the many benefits of a Food Hub. Knowing your local farmer has become a valued aspect of connecting with food, and with it brings a relationship, knowledge, and a clear understanding of how food is raised and who is raising it. With the Montana Co-op service model, locally grown food is immediately delivered to your family table when its taste and nutritional value are at their peak.
We need $25,000, to fund the start up of the Pablo Food HUB. The activity center is open to everyone regardless of financial ability. You're donation will be used to turn on the power, insurance costs, utilities, and continued renovations.
Your support for this community project is vital for us to continue to move forward. A life-time Montana Co-op membership will be given for any donation over $100. No donation is too small. If everyone gives a little, we get a lot.
Grant Funding
We are doing our share to get funding for grants requiring matching funds. Your funds will hopefully be duplicated by our local efforts. We can’t do it without you!
For More information, call [phone redacted] or email: [email redacted]
www. MontanaCoop.com. Like us on FACEBOOK .
