A message from our store regarding the COVID-19 outbreak:

Dear friends and community,



I woke up every morning this week with the realization of how vital our little store is to the community’s well-being. It has been a harrowing week as we watched COVID-19 unfold, and as our community and state prepared.



YFC is at the very core Ypsilanti, and along with the farmers and producers, to the processors and transporters, the staff at every grocery store is a vital part of our food system. We are so lucky to have this store with its connections to local food, and a dedicated and passionate staff.



To provide a safe place to shop, your cooperation is needed to safeguard the co-op and our community. We are instituting the following new policies and procedures: Take advantage of our shopping by email and curbside pickup option. This is the best thing you can do right now to help the co-op stay safe and strong. We are looking into a more comprehensive online ordering system, but for now we have instituted a pickup process to support your shopping needs. Email pickup@ypsifoodcoop.org. Please include your name and phone number in the subject line of the email. Keep it simple. Note substitutions and be flexible. Minimum 10 items for curbside. We will call you to arrange payment and pick up time. Drive up, pop your trunk, you're good to go. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, PLEASE DO NOT ENTER THE STORE. Learn the symptoms by calling the Michigan COVID hotline at 1-888-535-6136 or visit the CDC online here. For those who are feeling ill, even with a simple cold, we will be providing delivery options TBA. If you are already in need, contact the Mutual Aid Network of Ypsilanti at 734-999-0356. Seniors and those with compromised immune systems can shop between 11am-noon. To place special orders, you may call the office and leave a message: 734-483-1354 Temporarily, do not return 10-cent pop or beer bottles. Cans and bottles handled directly by staff pose a safety risk. The state has put a temporary hold on bottle returns. As everyone knows by now, please clean your hands before entering the store. Hand sanitizer will be provided. Do not eat or drink while shopping. Customers should wear gloves when obtaining bulk items. Gloves will be provided as needed. Use paper bills or credit cards only, no coin to cut down on handling. Shop alone if possible and do not bring children if you can help it. Avoid using our public bathroom, unless it is urgent. We have temporarily closed the kid's room. Kids will continue to get a piece of fruit, but we have suspended the use of the passports and stickers. We have temporarily closed the hot food bars, including coffee to go. Practice social distancing, which in our tiny store is hard, but please consider your space. We ask you to limit questions about particular products, pricing, and non-essential concerns to staff. Please be considerate of them and their time while everyone weathers this crisis together. Got feedback or questions? Call the office and leave a message at 734-483-1354. The city parking official has agreed to designating that the first parking spot for pick up orders. We are also changing our hours for this week to noon to 7 PM. This is to allow us time to prepare pick up orders and restock the store. Expect some items to be temporally out-of-stock while the supply chain adjusts to demand. This too will pass.



The staff of the YFC are doing an amazing job of showing their kindness, flexibility and professionalism in creating a shopping space that is rapidly changing daily if not by the hour. We are doing everything we can to keep our store functioning smoothly and safely.



This has also shown us the importance of our smaller farmers and producers, as they have been especially flexible in deliveries. We want to support them in ways that keep them as food providers for our community well into the future.



The Ypsilanti Food Co-op has been the bedrock of our community for over 40 years, and will continue to be a vital part of the community long after the pandemic is over. It is thus more important than ever to protect this institution, and the safety of the staff and each other.



Thank you in helping keep Ypsilanti safe and strong.



In solidarity,

Corinne and co-op staff