daily Co-op’s board election 2020

Caroline (she/her/hers) is a mama-to-five, photographer, and social worker in her second year of her Master’s of Social Work at UGA. Caroline is passionate about local food, building community, supporting small businesses, social justice, minimalism-except-for-plants-and-babies, and claims “Food is my Love Language”. She shares this love with her children and friends by supporting local farmers, volunteering for the Athens Farmers Market, taking long walks with her kids for honey pops at the Daily Coop, eating at her favorite local restaurants, and cooking dinner for her neighbors. Addressing food deserts and making local food more accessible is an important part of social justice to her. When she isn’t writing graduate school papers or hanging out with her kids, she enjoys hiking, watering her plants, visiting her favorite coffee shops, and drinking matcha. Caroline has lived in Athens for 12 years, and currently resides with her partner, Jim, 5 kids (Dmitri, Damon, Eleanor, Emmanuelle, and Leo), 2 cats named Boo Radley and Atticus Finch, 4 chickens, and a turtle named Boris.

Why would you like to serve on the Daily Groceries Co-op Board? 

Daily Groceries is the paragon of praxis – where theoretical ideas about building community, offering accessible local food, being kind and supporting small businesses and a cooperative model all meet in a tangible way at our friendly neighborhood grocery. I have spent many summer days walking with my kids to eat a Honeypop at the picnic table outside. picking up a sandwich on my lunch break or stopping to grab those two or three items that I forgot that I need for dinner at the end of a long workday. Daily Groceries has added so much to my life, and I would like to be a part of supporting and giving back to the Daily community.

How can you and your life experiences bring value to the Daily Groceries Co-op board? 

As a social worker, I have made social justice more than just a belief, but a career choice. Being a part of my local community, while also working to make it more accessible for all in our community is very important to me and the values I would bring with me to the Daily.

Additionally, I have worked for 7 years as a photographer and business owner, and I love being able to support local businesses through volunteering my photography skills. I have photographed for the Athens Farmer’s Market and Athens Forest Kindergarten to support their marketing and fundraising, and it’s something I find very fulfilling and would love to offer to the Daily as well.  

Describe your experiences working collaboratively in a group setting. 

I took a social work class on Groups and group work, and through that class I observed community groups as well as led a group. It was insightful and really led me to believe in the possibility of mutual aid and the impact collaboration can have.

The Daily Groceries Co-op Board does not deal with operational matters. It does deal with overall policies that identify and guide the mission of the organization. How do you see the board maintaining and expanding on the broader vision for the Co-op? 

I think it’s important to keep in mind how the mission and big picture of the Daily and the board effects the day-to-day operations and how changing policies can ultimately impact how the Co-op runs, but without “getting in the weeds” of operations. 

How can Board members better represent the opinions of the membership and the larger Athens community? 

I think that almost everywhere in Athens can work to serve more people, and to be more accessible to all of the citizens in Athens, but especially those who find fresh food inaccessible to them, cost prohibitive, or socially prohibitive. I hope that as the Daily continues that it’s mission will continue to work towards supporting local farmers and businesses as well as the diverse citizens of Athens.