2010 Austin Miller Award
From VAWC
[edit] Valley Alliance of Worker Co-operatives receives Austin Miller Award for Business
We are honored to receive the 2010 Austin Miller award for business from River Valley Market. The 11 worker co-operatives in VAWC's region work closely to the seven co-operative principles everyday as we co-run our businesses and would like to thank River Valley Market for recognizing our commitment.
River Valley Market created the award to recognize: 1) an individual, 2) a non-profit organization and 3) businesses in the Pioneer Valley that strive to support and strengthen co-operative values and the co-operative principle of Support for Community. Support for Community was adopted by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) along with six other principles which were initially written in 1844 by a group of weavers, the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. The principles they created in their response to challenging economic conditions are now shared among all co-operatives; be they consumer co-ops - like River Valley Market or Franklin Community Co-op - or worker co-ops - like Pedal People and Collective Copies.
In their recognition of worker co-operatives River Valley Market is exemplifying another co-op principle – Co-operation among Co-operatives. Co-operative complexes in other counties, most notably Mondragon in Spain and the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, utilize this principle to increase employment, civic participation, economic stability and overall well-being of their communities. VAWC is excited to work with River Valley Market to pursue these goals and contribute to our co-operative economy together.
A little about Austin Miller: He was awarded the first annual Co-op Hero Award during River Valley Market's celebration of their first birthday on April 30th, 2009 for extraordinary support from a co-op member-owner. Austin tirelessly and passionately championed the dreams of their membership for a locally grown food co-op in Northampton.
Austin was a founding co-op member-owner whose career was devoted to serving people in Western Massachusetts by supporting community development projects that provided low income housing, shelter for victims of domestic violence, and food for the hungry. Austin specialized in securing financing for projects that directly benefitted people in need and strengthened our communities. Austin was the financial consultant who secured the financing agreements between River Valley Market and the banks that provided the mortgage for our co-op start-up project in Northampton. Our community lost a good friend when Austin passed away on October 30th, 2009 and in honor of his efforts River Valley Market’s Board of Directors will make a donation in the name of Austin Miller and this year’s three Austin Miller Co-op Hero Award winners to The Food Bank.
