New Rockaway Economy? Worker Co-op Open House

   Currently, two worker cooperatives owned by Rockaway residents are in progress – La Mies Bakery and Roca Mia Construction Cooperatives. Their first year operating and business is steadily progressing.  The co-op's incubation stage and ongoing support are lead and funded by Occupy Sandy and The Working World.

As of April 27, 2014, round 2 of the Rockaway "worker co-op academy" has commenced giving another group of residents the chance to develop a worker owned business.  Workshops are conducted monthly out of Arverne Pilgrim Church.

In addition to Occupy Sandy funding such grassroots efforts to address social and economic disparity, another nonprofit successful with incubating worker cooperatives put out an RFP that Rockaway residents responded to.

The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, Brooklyn awarded Rockaway Resilience Network members, Rebekkah Thompson and Sonia Daley, a non-cash grant to train in worker co-op planning and incubating.  The training and support covers a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 3 years involving knowledge building on the history of worker cooperatives in the U.S. and globally, conducting a Community Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study, recruiting worker co-op members and facilitating the planning and development of a worker owned business.  

The Rockaway Worker Cooperative Project, lead by Rockaway residents, will hold an Open House on July 21^st and July 22^nd celebrating the official opening of the office located in Arverne Pilgrim Church.  Pastor Dennis Loncke has donated the back office space, and supports this initiative answering to consistent unemployment, low wages, undignified and inflexible working conditions and a stressed local economy.  

In addition, Jason Hilliard, Queens Borough Director, responded optimistically at a small round table of community residents and organizations on the idea of worker owned businesses.