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Who is the Montana Co-op & Kids Co-op?:
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The Montana Co-op business was developed from a need we identified when following up with our health retreat attendees; they told us they would like to receive the same foods like what they enjoyed during the retreats. These people went back to their home town, ususally somewhere in Montana, and jumped back into their busy lives, but didn't have the support with food preparation and good accountability to continue making the positive health changes they set out to achieve. The owners of the Get Well Retreat seeked out solutions and we found a great food ordering and distribution service, developed by the Oklahoma Food Co-op, that led to the developent of the Montana Co-op, now a specific division we call the Farmers Market Co-op. Details of this food orderign and distribution model can be found in the presentation slides below. By replicating Okalhaoma, our business plans include serving the whole state of Montana with a resilient food ordering and distribution service. Since our retreat days in 2009, we have created other associated co-op's that support people in other ways, often referred to as the 'determinants of health." Now the Montana Co-op is a co-op of many different co-op's, each filling special needs and overall creates the best economic development strategy moving forward. Many of our projects and co-op businesses are still in their infancy or toddler phase: Farmers Market Co-op, Get Well Co-op, Little House Co-op, Independent Contractors Co-op, and the American Native Co-op. When they are all thriving, we hope to be looking something like the Mondragon Co-op, the largest and most successful co-op in the world.
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The Kids Co-op was created in 2014 to be the recipient of a CSKT Tribal Education department SAMHSA grant for drug and alcohol prevention. We were the tribes Polson site for after school activities for 2.5 years. The Kids Co-op was requested and paid for by the CSKT Tribal Education department led by Doug Morigeau, the SAMHSA program coordinator, and currently sits on the Tribal led Kids Co-op board of directors. Since 2014, the Kids Co-op has been involved in multiple food sovereignty and farm to school programs that have been extremely successful. The Kids Co-op is now working on a prototype project that brings multiple successful programs together and mentoring the students to lead these programs to achieve food sovereignty in their own community. Ask us about the "Our Awesome Town" program initiating at the St. Ignatius school district in fall 2025.
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Farmers Market Co-op: Online: Home Page - needs editing before we relaunch in about a month
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https://montana.localfoodmarketplace.com/Index
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Sample Local Producer Page - each producer gets their own web page within our shared website, an about us section that can have links to your videos, etc. plus your products show up on the bottom of your page:!!like $ jo !ix$$+
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https://montana.localfoodmarketplace.com/Producer/f6542a67-57e6-4d0a-a556-3bb0697ca878
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Get Well Co-op: Retreats: We can coordinate them anywhere. We have a mobile food truck called the Nutrition Kitchen that can go to site to prepare and serve the food. We have coordinated over 30 retreats including weekend, week long, and 21 dayers... see DRAFT of presentation below.
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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PdewUQiMfFBmbY6xcf0Hh_9BVu7wtEgM4W8HoIFLIPE/edit?usp=sharing
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All Montana Co-op & Kids Co-op past and current projects; presentation slides:
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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hch97W6Xb3AHhEs8aiJVeh51zj8nfapawc_vIm-eU2I/edit?usp=sharing
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Annual Breakdown of Projects Since 2009
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2009-2011 We facilitated over 30 multi-day/week long Health Retreats at Deep Bay Retreat Center in Lakeside, MT (with organic vegetable juicing and gourmet raw food meals): see Get Well Retreats video and tesimonials. In 2019, the Montana Co-op adopted the Get Well Co-op business as a worker and consumer owned business division and began 21 Day retreats in Hot Springs similar to what the Tribes use to offer at their bathhouse - see article below (40 years ago).
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https://youtu.be/ihIGiQwcZks?si=wmOMfJGyCTG6yI8e
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https://youtu.be/ZWYm-vXbcpo?si=SGwdc7rLbp1cnL_Z
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https://youtu.be/ZWYm-vXbcpo?si=SGwdc7rLbp1cnL_Z
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https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/montana-indian-tribes-get-hot-springs-study
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2011 Health Providers and Farmers Formed Steering Committee: Feasibility Study, Survey (392 responses), and Business Plan completed and available for viewing by emailing info@montanacoop.com
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/2065/Local-food-coop-gathers-steering-committee
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/montana-on-line-food-coop-conducting-survey/article_e219fef2-d372-5fa1-b604-be2a58aa66ba.html
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2012 Montana Co-op incorporated as a new co-op; specializing in producer to consumer direct marketing of agriculture. Our Mission to create a resilient state widel food system while creating thriving communities. We're still perfecting the model.
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/943/Online-co-op-aims-to-improve-Montanans-access-to-local-food
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/789/Montana-Co-op-enthusiasts-meet-to-plan
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2013 Worked on-line market; distributing to Polson, Pablo and Ronan; included all local food items with access to over 100 local farms, ranches, and value added producers.
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2014 Continued on-line farmers market. Fixed up vacant building downtown and occupied first Montana Co-op Food Hub (community center) in Polson, MT, immediately following the Polson Community Heart & Soul program.
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Video of 1st Montana Co-op "communty driven" food hub: https://vimeo.com/131463009
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/8403/Montana-Co-op-opens-for-business
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/10926/Montana-Co-op-celebrates-grand-opening-of-store
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/ken-camel-encourages-community-to-get-into-the-ring/article_b2a08958-f99e-5d5b-a961-63361c4e670f.html
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/12446/Support-Co-op-join-Montanans-helping-Montana
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http://www.charkoosta.com/2014/2014_11_20/Ken_Camel_boxing_classes.html
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/11281/Agreements-are-life-changing
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2015 Further Developing Community Center in Polson, MT
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http://www.charkoosta.com/2015/2015_04_16/Ken_Camel_mural.html
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/13270/Youth-center-worth-investment
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/13062/Montana-Co-op-offers-diverse-programming-incorporates-Heart-and-Soul-values
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/montana-co-op-spring-green-a-big-success/article_f53d8c2b-4843-5014-9f10-075cc04add71.html
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/13310/New-market-funds-childrens-programs-at-Montana-Co-op
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/12414/Co-op-builds-unity-community
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Continue building our organic farming network.*Jason Moore on radio with Dad and Sister from Paradise Gardens.
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http://mtpr.org/term/montana-co-op
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2016 Further Developing Community Center. CSKT Tribal Education site for after school activities under the SAMHSA grant for substance abuse and mental health; to get youth involved in meaningful opportuniites.
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/14842/Indigenous-dance-academy-offered-in-Polson-Pablo
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/14473/Students-experience-boxing
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/14389/Boxing-Club-links-past-present-future
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History of Camel Boxing: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2015/01/02/resurrecting-legend-marvin-camel/
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/together-we-thrive/article_9b59550d-93e2-55a3-a700-7a4936ffb402.html
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https://www.charkoosta.com/news/flying-high-feeling-strong/article_77930dee-9ff2-59c7-b31c-b206d9559bb5.html
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http://www.charkoosta.com/2016/2016_01_14/Cole_Whitworth.html
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Food Sovereignty Proposal to Tribal Council:
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/food-sovereignty-means-healthy-lifestyle-for-tribal-communities/article_5cec64e3-54d2-548c-843e-37a857630020.html
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2017: Farmers Market (year round) downtown Polson.
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/calling-all-polson-and-surrounding-towns-producers-and-residents/article_e5bce589-060e-5b76-84b8-9814bbdb2d21.html
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Food Sovereignty Partnership with Salish Kootenai College (SKC) and Native Teaching Aids- development of Food Sovereignty Board Game.
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SKC Tech4Good game jam aims to technologically link like-minded healthy food advocates
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/16512/Game-developers-brainstorm-beneficial-educational-ideas
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https://tribalcollegejournal.org/skc-tech4good-game-jam-aims-to-technologically-link-like-minded-healthy-food-advocates/
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Montana Co-op is community partner with MSU:
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/team-seeks-to-improve-diet-on-flathead-reservation/article_fd4d2bed-1fc1-5f7b-894b-886422df4724.html
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Move out of Polson HUB facility (owner needs to sell):
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2018: Development of Montana Co-op Hot Springs Food HUB that begins with the Heart & Soul program to engage the community towards positive cooperative action that will support our youth, the local food economy, and fulfills important projects that have shared community values. Currently partnering with tribal and non-tribal organizations including Camas Organic Market in Hot Springs for fresh food access including baked goods and meals/snacks to add to your order:
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Montana Co-op brings Heart & Soul to Hot Springs.
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http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/20553/Hot-Springs-receives-Heart-and-Soul-grant
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Helped bring Double Bucks on Vegetables for SNAP users to Camas Organic Market:
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/snap-customers-can-double-their-money-at-the-camas-organic/article_498bc450-98fb-11e9-bce1-6ff4064ca10b.html
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MT Co-op Mentors and Kids Co-op working with Hot Springs and Dixon Schools to expand garden, build greenhouses, and community development that starts with the radio station at the school, music production, farm to fork curriculum, the community heart & soul program...: see articles below...
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/select-reservation-schools-to-receive-suicide-prevention-funds/article_b647f4f6-e852-11e8-a062-e7620ed620d8.html
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Worked on the development of a Montana Co-op Food HUB in Pablo, MT: a youth outreach center with boxing and gathering space. This was a rent to own project with a 48 acre Food HUB planned at former Plum Creek Mill site. This Food HUB will have indoor growing and a cohousing sober village of tiny homes (using recycled office furniture to finish out the homes). Boxing gym reopens and adds youth services; only youth outreach community center in Pablo, MT. More youth and adult services coming soon...
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http://www.charkoosta.com/news/ken-camel-passes-his-familial-boxing-legacy-onto-others/article_593c7460-5fa6-11e8-818f-a7530fdf0a78.html
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2019: Working on multiple Food HUB's, each specializing in different food, community devleopment, youth development, and healthy lifestyle projects.
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Montana Co-op is the last mile of distribuiton and connection point for those receiving free local food boxes.
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https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2020/jul/18/collaboration-provides-produce-to-those-in-6/
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Montana Co-op managing Phase 2 of the Hot Springs Heart & Soul program
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Montana Co-op and Kids Co-op incubated MIFSI: Montana Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative (a collaboration with Montana State University) distributing indigenous seeds to all 8 reservations in Montana.
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https://www.montana.edu/smallfarms/mifsi/
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2021 & 2022: Working on fine tuning an integrated community development progam that combines multiple sectors in the community including: school, community, food, commerce, and health. We use multiple programs as tools to perform different community development functions we feel our needed to have that perfect picture. Our main business is: Healthy Food Access initiatives that can be replicated in any small town across Montana. The big picture of the Montana Co-op is constanty changing and advancing with every new person that has a likeminded vision in a piece of the puzzle. These two years included a lot of partnership building with many organizations mostly in the Food Sovereignty sector, but connecting food to other areas in the community: school, garden, senior center, youth center, arts/entertainment/tourism, chamber of commerce, and multiple healthy community components.
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See list of all Montana Co-op and Kids Co-op projects in google docs or google slide links below:
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/18V02uGkf3pw3VtNCDGwgGA2unv1pz-bdWIyn0vQTpxg/edit?usp=sharing
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MIFSI is housed at MSU Tribal Lands Department and produces and sends out 250 seed bundles every year for community and school gardens in all 7 Montana reservations - see facebook. MIFSI was designed to give the youth an opportunity to cooperative and lead in a state wide food sovereignty plan that all 12 tribes support.
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https://www.facebook.com/MTNDNFood
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2023-2025 & Current:
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Montana Co-op receives USDA Farm to School grant to serve all of Sanders County with greenhouses, salad bars, indoor grow towers, and more.
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https://issuu.com/montanavalleyjournal/docs/11-22-23_issue
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Montana Co-op sets up new Food Hub in Ronan, MT at the Red Poppy building. Involves a community garden, commercial kitchen/restaurant, a health center, youth and community development programs.
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Kids Co-op receives First Nations Development Institute Native Farm to School grant to serve all schools on the CSKT reservation (3 tribes; 15 schools).