Co-operative Principles

• Voluntary and open membership
• Democratic member control
• Member economic participation
• Autonomy and independence
• Education, training, and information
• Co-operation among co-operatives
• Concern for community
• We embrace and live by these principles established in 1844.

What is a
Co-operative?

A co-operative is a self-governing association of people who unite voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and goals through a member-owned and democratically controlled enterprise.

Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, democracy, self-responsibility, equality, fairness, and unity.

In the tradition of their founders, co-operatives' members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.

If these values are important to you, please consider joining us today!

Our Vision

Co-operation flourishes in the region served by the Lost River co-operative as people join forces to create sustainable communities that are healthy, prosperous, self-reliant, responsibly governed, and environmentally aware. A sense of shared destiny with the earth pervades the region.

In September, 2005 we held our first meeting to discover if local citizens and interested parties would work together to bring an alternative to food choices locally. It was determined that the number one concern was the inability to purchase healthy, organic food grown locally. We gave been work toward that end ever since.

The Lost River Community Co-op has incorporated with the State of Indiana, has conducted a feasibility study to determine size, scope and potential location of the store and is now emphasizing membership growth and development of capital to cover the costs of acquiring a facility, renovating for use as a co-op food store, and inventory and opening costs.

Mission Statement

We are a member-owned association dedicated to serving the needs of local growers, producers, and consumers by providing goods, services, and healthy food choices at fair value. We promote community well-being, economic prosperity, and self-reliance through co-operation.

We are friends, neighbors, and fellow community members building a corporative that will provide locally grown foods and handmade products.

We provide a local option for affordable, nutritious, locally-grown food and goods year round. Local producers are provided with an option to market and sell their products beyond the duration of the Farmers Market.

When we sell and buy locally, our money stays in the county and we all profit. The quality of local produce is unsurpassed in nutrition and taste. Help us come together in this common goal.

Concern for Community:
Lost River Co-op...

• Provides 4 full-time and 5 part-time jobs in the community.
• Purchases goods and services from over 90 local businesses, including more than 40 local farmers, vendors, and producers.
• Sponsors monthly Healthy-Living Education Workshops. Topics included diabetes prevention, nutrition, heirloom seeds, and local farm tour.
• Provides a venue for the weekly music jam with local musicians and summertime HomeGrown concert series.
• Provides over $1,000 mostly in-kind contributions in 2008 to local organizations, including the Paoli Community Thanksgiving Dinner, Paoli Food Pantry, HomeGrown and Jasper Community Arts Council.
• Utilizes recycling services from Orange County Recycling Co-op and offers recycling for customers, including eggcartons to local producers.
• Reduces energy usage by installing insulated curtains on refrigerated display cases.
• Keeps money local: 67 cents of every dollar that customers spend at Lost River Market & Deli goes to local vendors, local service providers, and employees as wages.