RAD Co-op

Let's talk about Senat Bill 2273! This is a bill introduced by Senator Myrdal, with the help of Representative Monson, to address the growing food desert issue across the state. Last week 3 members of the RAD co-op board (Jenna Gullickson, Alex Bata, and Diana Hahn) went to testify in support of this bill in front of the Senate AG and Veteran Affairs Committee. The Senators were very responsive and supportive of this funding bill, it got a recommended DO PASS and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

If this bill passes as it was introduced, it will provide grant funds for groceries hubs similar to the RAD model to help combat start-up costs. If it is funded in full, we could potentially have 6 more hubs set up by 2025.

We are thankful for everyone who testified in favor, as there were 13 testimonies for, none against. We are especially thankful to Senator Myrdal, as she introduced the bill with great advocacy, she also laid the groundwork for the bill to pass the Senate AG committee. It is great to have such excellent representation in our legislature!

If you are not in District 19, please contact your legislative representatives in the senate and the house and ask them to support SB 2273.

It was a very exciting week for Fordville and Park River as their climate-controlled grocery lockers were installed, making it more convenient for residents in and around those communities to purchase their grocery items locally. The lockers are in the process of being connected to an online shopping platform and customers' orders will be fulfilled through Jim’s SuperValu (Park River). Stay tuned for an announcement for when they go live!

Advertise with us and help support our mission to bring accessible and healthy food options to Walsh County! 2022 advertising spots are available on the RAD Co-op delivery truck. To reserve your spot, contact RAD Co-op Board President Alexander Bata at [email protected] or 701-331-9151.

Sending a big thank you to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) Caring Foundation for providing grant dollars to further the mission of the Rural Access Food (RAD) Cooperative.

RAD Cooperative has scheduled expanded delivery throughout the county and is in the process of installing climate-controlled grocery locker systems in Fordville and Adams. Soon, community members can buy local products by ordering online using a secure purchasing platform.

Walsh County Food Hub The Caring Foundation partnered with the North Dakota Rural Electric Cooperative Foundation to bring accessible and healthy food options to Walsh County thro...

Huge THANK YOU to donations from these local businesses! The RAD experiment has some significant startup costs and these donations are going to impact our communities in a huge way!

Pictured are First United Bank, Gate City Bank, and Polar Communications with some of our Board Members.

Excellent to have the community supporting each other!

Elisabeth Horejsi stocks produce at Jim’s SuperValu in Park River, which is serving as the redistribution hub for a newly formed shared services cooperative, the Rural Access Distribution Cooperative, that aims to improve food access in the region and the viability of local rural grocery stores. See page 10 for the story.

READ MORE: https://www.ndliving.com/content/rural-rad

📸: NDAREC/Cally Peterson

Now it's easier to send RAD Co-op a message.

THANK YOU to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation for providing a $10,000 grant to RAD Co-op! Your contribution will help provide residents of Walsh County with access to locally retailed and produced products!

Check out this great article by Allison Olimb of the Walsh County Press!

"There has been a concerted, collaborative effort since 2014 to study and address the challenges that rural grocery stores face in North Dakota. This hard work has resulted in a committed group of stakeholders (a farmer, three grocers, and a small business owner) who have come together to form a new collaborative in Walsh County, located in the northeastern part of the state — the Rural Access Distribution Cooperative, or the RAD Co-op."

https://www.ndcompass.org/trends/ask-a-researcher/

Ask a Researcher - Trends - North Dakota Compass Incorporated on April 19, 2021, the Rural Access Distribution Co-op (RAD) is a shared services cooperative providing residents of Walsh County with improved access to healthy food and other important items. This summer, the cooperative launched a food distribution network that unites three small-tow...

Check it out!

Check out this weeks Press, great story about how our local stores are making products more available to our rural communities.

RAD Co-op has placed an order for two climate-controlled grocery locker systems which will be accessed by community members in Adams and Fordville, two communities that do not have a grocery store. Installation of these lockers is anticipated to be in September.

Click n Collect - Parcel/Grocery & Laundry lockers E-commerce lockers for all products and services sweeping the world with unique and innovative technology.

Incorporated on April 19, 2021, Rural Access Distribution Co-op (RAD) is a shared services cooperative providing residents of Walsh County with improved access to healthy food and other important items. This summer, the cooperative will launch a food distribution network that unites three small-town grocers; delivers products to two communities without local food access; and aims to improve affordability, variety and convenience for the people who live there. Learn more: https://ndarec.com/new-cooperative-helps-improve-rural-access-healthy-food-other-items