Appalachia Cooperates Initiative

Interested in community, business, and economic development in Central Appalachia?

Join the inaugural session of the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative! This peer-exchange network will be a place to learn about the co-op model as a development strategy and to foster relationships to help recognize and catalyze cooperative opportunities in Central Appalachian communities.

Learn from practitioners growing co-op culture in central Appalachia!

• Dr. J. Todd Nesbitt, Lock Haven University, will share “A Case for Economic Distributism in West Virginia.” 
• Leslie Schaller, Casa Nueva, will discuss “Building a Worker-Owned Business in Central Appalachia.” 
• UrsuletteHuntley and Gail Patton, Unlimited Future, will share “Catalyzing a Community Owned Business.” 
• Join discussions about growing co-ops in our region and creating the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative. 
• Learn about worker-owned co-ops across the globe with a lunchtime showing of the film Shift Change. 

March 22, 9:30 a.m. –3 p.m.

West Virginia State University Economic Development Center, 1506 Kanawha Blvd. West, Charleston, West Virginia

Registration only $25, Lunch included

Register at go.osu.edu/appalachiacooperates

Agenda for the day:

9:30 a.m. - Networking and Coffee

9:45 a.m. - A Case for Economic Distributism in West Virginia, Dr. J. Todd Nesbitt, Lock Haven University 

10:45 a.m. - Community and Business Development in Appalachia Group Discussion, Facilitated by CFAES Center for Cooperatives and WVU Extension Community Development

11:30 a.m. - Lunch and viewing of Shift Change, a documentary film about worker cooperatives globally

                     View the preview for Shift Change. 

1:00 p.m. -  Building a Worker-Owned Business in Central Appalachia, Leslie Schaller, Co-Founder Casa Nueva                       

                    Catalyzing a Community Owned Business, Ursulette Huntley and Gail Patton, Unlimited Future

2:30 p.m. -  Making the Most of the Appalachia Cooperates Initiative Facilitated Discussion

3:00 p.m. -  Adjourn

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.