How to Join BFC

To become a member of the Brighton Food Coop, contact the BFC Communications Coordinator. (Go to the Board of Directors page for contact information.) The Communications Coordinator can provide you with membership materials and information about placing your first order.

If the Communications Coordinator is unavailable, send an e-mail message to bfc@brightonfoodcoop.com with your phone number and the best time to reach you, and one of the board members will contact you with further information. Normally you will be invited to the next distribution, where you can see the co-op in operation, talk with some of the members, and decide whether you want to join.

If you're pretty sure you want to join the Brighton Food Coop, print out an Application Form, fill in the information requested, and bring the form with you to the next distribution.

The following information about membership is extracted and summarized from the Policy Handbook. Consult that page for more detailed information and specific membership requirements.

  • Membership is $10 per year. These dues are non-refundable.
  • A one-time initial charge of $25 is assessed upon joining. This charge is refundable for the first 90 days after joining. The refund is obtained by sending a note to the Treasurer.
  • Each member (family) has one vote at membership meetings, and a simple majority vote of those members present is necessary for passing decisions.
  • BFC places and distributes orders once per month. Members are encouraged to order at least once every 3 months.
  • A 3% surcharge for BFC operating expenses is applied to each order. This percentage may be adjusted from time to time according to the co-op's financial situation.
  • Order distributions are held in two overlapping shifts to accommodate morning and afternoon deliveries from suppliers.
  • At present, each member should expect to work a minimum of 6 hours per ordering month. Actual work time will vary with the size of the order and the complexity of the distribution. For small orders with few complications, the entire distribution may last only 4 hours. But for large or especially complex orders, a single shift may last longer than 6 hours, and then members may have to work longer to finish the shift. The BFC Board constantly looks for process improvement opportunities, and every effort is made to minimize the length of the distribution; but sometimes longer distributions simply can't be avoided. As a cooperative organization, we have to depend on each other to complete what needs to be done. Patience and persistence are much appreciated.