A Testament to New York City’s Initiative to Develop Worker Owned Businesses

A Testament to New York City’s Initiative to Develop Worker Owned Businesses:Green Worker Cooperatives Launches Three New Worker Owned Cooperatives

Bronx, NY- The fall 2014 Coop Academy Graduation Ceremony will take place on Saturday January 24th, 2015 at 3:00pm, at 1231 Lafayette Avenue in the Bronx New York.  Thirteen individuals that make up three cooperatives will be honored as completing this intense cooperative business bootcamp.

The graduation address will be delivered by New York Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo (District 17), a key leader in the City Council who advocated strongly for greater support for worker-owned businesses.  Green Worker Cooperative addresses will be delivered by Coop Academy Coordinator Thomas Assefa and Green Worker Cooperatives Founder Omar Freilla.

The Coop Academy was made possible through Mayor DeBlasio’s  and the City Council’s historic $1.2 million allocation to grow the number of local worker-owned businesses. Known as the Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative, the funding was part of an effort to boost the worker cooperative sector in a long-term effort to reduce poverty and inequality.  Green Worker Cooperatives is presently incubating and supporting eight New York City based cooperatives (32 worker owners) through this initiative.

The fall 2014 graduating cooperatives are:  Bio Classic Cleaning Cooperative, a Latina Women owned cleaning company that uses biodegradable cleaning products.  “My reason for being part of Bio-Classic Cleaning Cooperative is so that I could have my own job and have more time for my children.  My other jobs did not provide me time to parent as I would like.  I also like cleaning with natural products, because that way I take care of not only the clients health, but my health, my families health, and mother earths health”, says Bio Classic worker owner Beatriz Alvarado.  Diaspora Destinations is an African travel experience cooperative owned by two black women.  “The most important reason of why I co-founded Diaspora Destinations is that this cooperative is truly the marriage between my love for my community, my passion for travel, and my realization that I can be part of a business that I believe in.  Coop Academy has really taught me that being an entrepreneur is no longer an unattainable dream or something that others do.” says worker owner Rafiah Vitalis.  Latino Arts Movement a cooperative that works to create educational, cultural and social experiences so that stereotypes in mainstream media that plague the Latino community can be countered progressively.  

The graduation ceremony will take place at 3:00pm on Saturday January 24th, at the Business Outreach Center’s Bronx Business Incubator 1231 Lafayette Avenue, 2nd floor in the Bronx.  For more information, please call 404 610 2807.

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Coop Academy Spring 2015: Four registered Cooperatives!

On Thursday November 20th, Green Worker Cooperatives hosted its first orientation session for its Spring 2015 cooperative teams. We have four teams in the making, soon you will know about them, what they do and how you can support them.  

Thanks #Cooperative Home Care Associates for hosting and Caracol Interpreters Cooperative for interpreting. 

Coop Academy Spring 2015 Cooperativa de Tecnicos especializados/Specialized Technological Cooperative

“Ofrecer asesoria y soluciones tecnicas en todo lo relacionado con equipos de Aire Acondicionado y Refrigeracion Comercial, con servicio de calidad, garantizado con la Certificacion ISO 9001”

Somos un equipo de emprendedores hispanos, con  habilidades en multiples disciplinas, con un punto  en comun, que todos sus miembros son Tecnicos HVAC-R calificados  con Certificacion  EPA, egresados de Escuelas Tecnicas de NYC.

Nuestro enfoque es la “Venta, Instalacion y Reparacion de equipos HVAC-R (Calefaccion, Ventilacion, Aire Acondicionado y Refrigeracion),  y esta dirijido al mercado de los dueños de pequeños negocios, gerentes, chefs ejecutivos, jefes de mantenimiento, Superintendentes de edificios, en los sectores de restaurantes, panaderias, abastos, salones de belleza, administradoras de viviendas.

Queremos asegurar la “Satisfaccion del Cliente” ofreciendo un servicio tecnico efeciente y eficaz, con transparencia, y para cumplir con este objetivo, implementaremos un Sistema de gestion de Calidad ISO 9001.

“Providing advice and technical solutions in everything related to computers Air Conditioning and Commercial Refrigeration with quality service, guaranteed with ISO 9001 Certification “ 

We are a team of Hispanic entrepreneurs with skills in multiple disciplines with a point in common, that all members are qualified Technicians HVAC -R with EPA Certification , Technical graduates of NYC Schools . 

 Our approach is the ” Sale , Installation and equipment repair HVAC- R ( Heating , Ventilation , Air Conditioning and Refrigeration ) and this will be directed to the market for small business owners , managers, executive chefs , maintenance managers , building superintendents in the areas of restaurants, bakeries , grocery stores, beauty salons, housing managers .  We want to ensure ” Customer Satisfaction ” efficiently offering technical service and efficient , transparent , and to meet this goal , we will implement a Quality Management System ISO 9001 .

Coop Academy Spring 2015: Bits and Bites

We are organizers and technologists that want to inspire individuals who want to develop technological skills within a space that provides healthy affordable food choices.  Good food for great minds.

Our technology center will offer a range of customized trainings for individuals/groups and sponsor free or low-cost workshops for all levels of learning.  The center will also be an incubation space for social and environmental innovation where ideas are cultivated and shared throughout an expanding network of workers, customers, leaders, and the community at large.

The café will feature organic products, diabetic friendly and gluten-free food.  It will also offer a vegetarian/vegan menu.  We will buy from local farms and fair-trade imports.  We will sponsor health and wellness workshops, cooking classes, and greenmarket events to increase access to healthy foods in the community.

Stay tuned for more!!!