Community Business
NEECHI FOODS
Community Economic Development 2 :
6. Local Decision-Making and Ownership
Many CED businesses are collectively-owned which means that all people who work at the business have a part in the decision-making and become part-owners of the businesses. All work is divided among collective members so all take their turn doing each of the different kinds of activities that are necessary for running a business (cooking, serving, working in the bookstore, attending meetings, cleaning bathrooms). In return, they all enjoy the benefits of being co-owners in the business.
7. Healthy Citizens
The CED model invests in community development that brings physical, mental and emotional health and well-being to community members at home, in the workplace and in the community at large. Neechi Community Store creates community health by providing healthy food.
8. Positive Physical Environment
CED projects encourage healthy, safe, and attractive neighbourhoods.
9. Neighborhood Stability
CED encourages development that brings stability and health to a whole community.
10. Human Dignity
Essentially, CED works for the self-respect and dignity of all members of the community. CED is an economic model whose goal it is to increase people's capacity to better themselves through their own efforts.
11. Support for Other CED Projects
CED projects strategically support other CED projects by buying from each other. Neechi Foods buys wild rice from Kagiwiosa Manomin, an Ojibway owned and operated cooperative in Northwestern Ontario, as well as coffee from workers cooperatives in Central America. In this way CED projects all over the world are strengthened by each other.
