UPDATED: How the soda tax affects shopping at Mariposa

Here's what you need to know.

What is it?

Last year, Mayor Kenny passed the Philadelphia Beverage Tax that went into effect on January 1, 2017. The Philadelphia Beverage Tax, also deemed the Soda Tax by the local media, is a $0.015 tax per ounce on sugary beverages. What’s a sugary beverage? Well, it actually entails more than just soda.

Sugary beverages include any non-alcoholic beverage, syrup, or other concentrate used to prepare a beverage that includes any form of caloric sugar-based sweetener, including, but not limited to:

• Sucrose
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Artificial sugar substitutes, including Stevia, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), saccharin, and advantame

Excluded beverages include baby formula, products that contain more than 50 percent milk, fresh fruit, and/or vegetables.

What products are taxed?

Updated: Taxed items include, but are not limited to:

• Blue Sky Sodas
• Grab and go drinks including Honest Tea, Highball Energy Drinks, Guayaki Yerba Mate, etc. 
• Non dairy milks with added sweetener

To determine if a product is affected by the Soda Tax, look for a yellow box beneath the price on the shelf tag. If "Soda Tax" is printed within the box, the price will be added to your purchase at the register. 

Who pays the tax?

The distributor is responsible for paying the tax. However, our prices have increased on certain items due to the price increases from our distributors. 

Where does the tax go?

The tax money is to go to community schools, rec centers, libraries, parks and pre-k schooling. This tax policy is popular among European countries, but Philadelphia was the second American city to pass this law after Berkley, California. San Francisco, Oakland, and Boulder have since followed suit. Read more about it here.

News Roundup March 17, 2017

Via The Notebook

Partnership between Philly Orchestra and KIPP provides instruments to students

In many District and charter schools throughout Philadelphia, art and music programs have disappeared due to budget cuts. But thanks to a new partnership launched between the Philadelphia Orchestra’s School Ensemble Program and KIPP Philadelphia Schools, students in KIPP West Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School and KIPP West Philadelphia Elementary Academy will have access to the orchestra and its musicians, instruments, and innovative music education programs, all while further engaging them in the arts. Read more. 

Cedar Park Neighbors seeking new board members

Do you live in Cedar Park and want to get more involved with the neighborhood? Here’s a great chance. The Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN), the recognized community organization for the Cedar Park neighborhood, is currently seeking new board members to serve the community for the next two years beginning in June 2017. Read more. 

Tokens on their way out: SEPTA Key Card expands

Starting Monday, March 13, SEPTA customers can fully transition to paying for their rides with a Key Card (just tap and go!). SEPTA is expanding the Travel Wallet feature to Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and major bus loop fare kiosks, and riders will be able to purchase a Key Card at fair kiosks and load it with money starting on the following dates at the following Market-Frankford Line stations in West Philly. Read more. 

Jezabel's Cafe to spin off a shop in West Philadelphia

Jezabel Careaga, chef-owner of the Argentine-influenced Jezabel’s Café at 26th and Pine Streets, plans to branch out to West Philadelphia with a new shop opening this spring.

Jezabel's Studio (208 S. 45th St.) will mix food and retail in its 400 square feet: an area for guests to enjoy teas, including a mate tea that she has created for the shop as well as her signature empanadas and alfajores, the Argentine shortbread cookies that she learned to make back home. Read more. 

Kensington Community Food Co-Op Nears Goal to Open $1.9M Fresh Food Store, Bar

A Philadelphia community co-op is nearing its goal as it tries to raise enough money to open a grocery store focused on "fresh" and "local" food at the sight of a former bar.

The Kensington Community Food Co-op extended its "25 in 25" Campaign where mission-driven food distributor The Common Market pledged to match member donations up to $25,000. As of midweek, KCFC had gotten 90 percent to its goal.

This West Philadelphia bike shop is using its profits to serve the local community

Two doors down from the Neighborhood Bike Works office on 39th Street and Lancaster Avenue, the organization recently opened a used bicycle shop.

Neighborhood Bike Works is a West Philadelphia nonprofit that aims to empower youth through cycling initiatives and programming, and all the profits accrued from their bike shop go directly back into the youth programming. Many of their programs are staffed by volunteers, including some Penn and Drexel University students. Read more. 

News Roundup March 3, 2017

People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and the Islamic Cultural Preservation and Information Council (ICPIC) create interactive historic map

West Philadelphia has often attracted national and international attention for its prominent role in our nation’s history. These neighborhoods west of the Schuylkill River have a rich cultural identity unique to the city of Philadelphia, making it a place of significance within a ‘city of firsts’.

This interactive map, a project of People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and the Islamic Cultural Preservation and Information Council (ICPIC) pinpoints sites of historic significance by both time and topic - ranging from the Lenape Indian in the 1600s to Malcom X and MLK in the 1960’s – up to the present day. Explore the map. 

Why Ambler Food Co-op is becoming a part of Weavers Way to open a community-owned grocery store

After five years of organizing as a start-up cooperative with the goal of opening its first community-owned grocery store in the Ambler area, Ambler Food Co-op (AFC) has found success as it works with Northwest Philadelphia-based cooperative Weavers Way to open a local Weavers Way store this July.

But while it may seem like a bittersweet victory — AFC will soon dissolve as an organization as its more-than 500 members voted unanimously Feb. 19 to transfer their memberships and assets to Weavers Way, as part of a partnership agreement — it’s evidence of how a co-op like AFC is willing to make the decisions that best benefit the community. Read more. 

10 things you should know about reentry in Philadelphia

It’s hard to find anyone who believes the criminal justice system is effective, and harder still to find someone who believes American prisons are doing a decent job of rehabilitating the people they house.

Yet, as much of a humanitarian crisis as mass incarceration is in the United States of America, an equally debilitating crisis is the one that follows.

What happens to incarcerated people when they are released from prison? Read more. 

Philadelphia gathering confronts health and water crisis

A People’s Assembly to “Confront Toxic Water & Hep C Crisis Threatening Lives of Mumia Abu-Jamal, other Prisoners and our Communities” was held on Feb. 18 in Philadelphia.

Contaminated water is plaguing prisoners in several prisons in Pennsylvania. The state is responsible for the health and welfare of people behind bars. But the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is refusing to provide clean water to prisoners that is not “dirty, brackish, turbid, even black” — as described in a grievance filed by Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner at State Correctional Institute Mahanoy. Read more. 

Just Announced: Porchfest returns to West Philly this June

Get your porches ready, people, because Porchfest is making a grand return to West Philly this summer on Saturday, June 3rd.

Porchfest organizer, Owen Lyman-Schmidt, first learned about the event concept when he accidentally took part in one in Massachusetts (for the full back story, click here.) After experiencing the incredible and lively community atmosphere, Lyman-Schmidt and his co-organizers knew they had to bring Porchfest to Philly. Read more. 

News Roundup February 10, 2017

The Common Market Makes Matching Loan to Help Raise $25,000 in 25 Days

The Common Market, a mission-driven food distributor in the Mid-Atlantic region, has offered Kensington Community Food Co-op members an incredible opportunity to double their investment in the project. Read more. 

Jamila Medley & Peter Frank announce PACA's executive director transition

The Philly Black History Syllabus: 13 must-read books to understand our city

Philly has made a lot of black history. Nearly 690,000 African Americans live in the city.  And so, with this large and longstanding community, there’s no shortage of institutions to honor and stars to remember during Black History Month.

So if you wanted to get a strong grasp of this history, what books should you read? We reached out to several experts and researchers. Many recommended the same works; others pointed to tomes of which we’d never heard. Out of dozens of suggestions, we’ve narrowed that list down to 13. (It was hard.) You may not have been able to take a class on Philly Black History in college, so here’s that syllabus. Read more. 

Free community tax filing sites are now open in West/Southwest Philadelphia

Campaign for Working Families has again opened sites across the city, where volunteers are helping qualified individuals and families to prepare and file their taxes. Free tax preparation services are being offered to families with incomes less than $54,000 and individuals with incomes less than $20,000. Read more. 

News Roundup February 3, 2017

Via Billy Penn

Please Support These 5 Standing Rock Legal Defense Funds to Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

In December, you sent over $3 million in supplies from Amazon to Standing Rock.

Then you sent over $1 million in cash to purchase trucks, trailers, warehouses, and to complete a full service medical center.

Now, it’s time for us to step up again, but for legal aid. As you likely know, Donald Trump issued an executive order yesterday ordering that construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) continue. The order not only violates the rights of the people of Standing Rock, but it also violates the current order from the Army Corps of Engineers to halt construction while a true environmental impact study is completed. Read more. 

People's Emergency Center opening affordable housing for artists in West Philly

A new low-income housing development has been built in West Philadelphia’s Mantua neighborhood, designed specifically for artists.

The 20 apartments at 4050 Haverford Ave. were built by the People’s Emergency Center, a community development corporation that has built 270 housing units around the troubled neighborhood that recently has been seeing a lot of new construction. Read more. 

How to turn these huge Philly protest marches into action

At any point Thursday while President Donald Trump and the GOP were in Philly, you could have gone to a protest or demonstration. At some points, you could have seen upwards of 5,000 people taking to the streets. All that action in Philly was less than a week after an estimated 50,000 people crowded the Parkway for the Women’s March on Philadelphia Saturday.

Since Trump was inaugurated, Philly has turned out to protest and take action. Many participants have said this is the first time they protested anything. And if you’re still motivated, there are ways to take your action a step further, whether it’s joining an online community, donating to a group or calling a politician. Read more. 

Philadelphia police reformer resigns from citizen watchdog commission

Kelvyn Anderson, a longtime reformer who headed Philadelphia's Police Advisory Commission, has resigned.

Anderson, 57, who has worked on the commission since 2000 and served as its executive director since 2013, said he plans to pursue “opportunities for consulting around police and community issues.” Read more. 

News Roundup January 6, 2017

Weavers Way gets $1.5M for Montco location

Philadelphia-based Weavers Way Co-op is one step closer to opening a new Montgomery County location, and its third overall, after receiving $1.5 million through a loan campaign — nearly double the original goal.

Weavers Way Co-op — which was established in the West Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia, and in 2010 opened a second location in Chestnut Hill — has plans to open a third grocery store in Ambler in April 2017. Read more. 

Meet the 16-year-old activist organizing a big equality march in Philly

Almost 104 years ago, a day before the inauguration of known-racist and sexist Woodrow Wilson, activist Alice Paul led a march for women’s rights down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

Next month, a day before the inauguration of known-racist and sexist Donald Trump, 16-year-old activist Anna Holemans will lead a march for women’s rights in Philadelphia, from City Hall to Eakins Oval. Read more. 

Why Austin's Wheatsville Food Co-op is raising wages, despite delay in federal overtime law

Right before Thanksgiving, as the overtime exemption for salaried wages was about to increase to a minimum annual threshold of $47,476, a federal judge in Texas blocked the changes to the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA.

This move preserved the FLSA’s current rules and rates until there could be more discussion. However, many businesses decided to move forward with the new regulations. Read more. 

When Residents Take Ownership, A Mobile Home Community Thrives

If you had strolled one Saturday afternoon through the Park Plaza neighborhood in Fridley, Minn., you might have thought you were at just another block party. The residents were milling around a picnic buffet on folding tables on the street in front of their houses and the American flag. Kids were tossing beanbags and shouting. Neighbors were delivering Jell-O and marshmallow salad, and a pot of pork, cilantro and beans.

But this was not an ordinary picnic. Residents were celebrating the fifth anniversary of a major achievement that could inspire similar communities across the country: The day they began to take more control of their lives. Read more.

He seeks more black men to teach in Philly and beyond

Sharif El-Mekki vividly recalls every black male teacher who ever taught him: two in elementary school, two in high school.

"They were transformative figures in my life," said El-Mekki, a veteran Philadelphia educator.

For 2017, El-Mekki has a goal to organize 1,000 black men to show up for the first day of school, encouraging city youths to be their best.

By 2025, his goal is much loftier: to nearly triple the number of black men teaching in the city. To that end, he has launched the Fellowship: Black Male Educators for Social Justice. Read more. 

2016 Year in Review

Reminisce with us! Check out our accomplishments over this past year. 

636 New Owners

That's a total of 2,567 owners!

Donated $4,000 to 35 organizations

Including Fair Food, Greensgrow, Standing Rock, Neighborhood Bike Works, and more.

Hired Aj Hess

Aj was hired in March as Mariposa’s Transitional General Manager. Read more about Aj.

Expanded our Co+op Basics program

Our Co+op Basics program, or everyday low price program, gained over 100 products at the beginning of this year. 

Turned 45

Don’t we look good?!

Elected a new Board

Board additions included Abdul-Aliy Muhammad as Convener Elect and Atiya Ola as one of our At Large Delegates. Save the date! Our 2017 elections will begin on March 25.

Launched our Community Partners program

This an exciting new benefit for owners! Show your owner card at participating Community Partners to receive discounts such as 20% off yoga packages at Bikram Yoga, 10% off services at Hair Vyce Studio, 5% off at Firehouse Bikes and more.

Redesigned our owner cards

Use it while you shop to speed up your transaction and carry it with you around town to receive discounts at our Community Partners.

Began referring to our members as owners

As a Mariposa Food Co-op owner, you hold equity, or stock, in our business. Unlike privately held discount clubs, our members make business decisions democratically to ensure the health of the Co-op and community.

Introduced new owner handbook

New owners are no longer required to attend orientations. Upon joining, owners will receive a Mariposa Owner Handbook that explains the ins and outs of being an owner at Mariposa. Lost your handbook? You can reference it on our website.

Redesigned our new website

Out with old and in with the new! Our new website is easier to navigate and mobile-friendly.

Redefined our bylaws

Read them here.

News Roundup December 16, 2016

West Philly history captured on new website

They came bearing stories of growing up in West Philadelphia.

Some recalled going to Dick Clark's American Bandstand studio at 4548 Market St., "only to be turned away because they were black," said Meg Lemieur of the People Emergency Center's Community Development Corp. (CDC).

Others mentioned the history of Mill Creek, a stream that can sometimes be heard running underneath West Philly in a tunnel built in the 1880s. Read more. 

Weckerly's ice cream shop sets its opening in Fishtown

The weather forecast for Dec. 9 is partly cloudy with a high of 40 degrees. Perfect weather for the opening of an ice cream shop.

Weckerly’s - the homegrown micro-creamery founded four years ago in the kitchen at the Green Line Cafe in West Philadelphia - is ready to start scooping at its first brick-and-mortar location: a tiny storefront at 9 W. Girard Ave., next to Green Aisle Grocery and just west of Frankford Avenue. Read more. 

Customer-owned banks thrive against rivals

Mutuals outperform and offer better value than competitor banks, according to a report from KPMG Australia.

The firm’s annual Mutual Industry Review found strong asset growth of 7.8% for mutuals, compared to 5% for the overall banking industry.

KPMG said this strong performance by the customer owned banking sector was built on effective business strategies including growth in lending portfolios; effective credit risk management practices; and leveraging digital reach and third-party distribution channels. Read more. 

LGBTQ&A: Abdul-Aliy Muhammad

Abdul-Aliy Muhammad is a black queer social-justice activist and member of the Black and Brown Workers Collective, a coalition of LGBTQ protestors of color who have been consistently targeting Gayborhood racism. We chatted with the community leader about his direct-action tactics and passion for HIV/AIDS advocacy. Read more. 

Every day in December is a day of action

This past Sunday, Natives, water protectors, and Dakota Access Pipeline protesters scored a huge victory. The Obama Administration announced that the US Army Corps would not grant Dakota Access LLC the last remaining easement it needs to drill under the Missouri River at Lake Oahe and complete construction of the pipeline.

While this is encouraging, Mariposa will still be collecting donations at our registers. Read more about what’s next below.

“While this is clearly a victory, the battle is not “over”. A response statement from Energy Transfer Partners  and Sunoco Logistics said the corporations remain “fully committed to ensuring that this vital project is brought to completion and fully expect to complete construction of the pipeline without any additional rerouting in and around Lake Oahe. Nothing this Administration has done today changes that in any way.”

The Trump administration could easily approve the project early next year. The Obama Administration has never guaranteed the water protectors or the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe that they would use force to stop Dakota Access from drilling under the river without a permit, if necessary. The Army Corps has not yet agreed to pursue a full EIS for the entire length of the pipeline.

Organizers continue to call for every day of December to be “a day of #NoDAPL action” against the investors of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Over 100 solidarity actions worldwide have already been registered for the coming weeks as the encampment continues to stand their ground.

Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network says, “Today, the Obama Administration has told us they are not granting the final easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline. This is not just an amazing victory for Standing Rock and the Oceti Sakowin  -- but also for the many other Tribal Nations, grassroots Indigenous communities and millions of Americans around the country who have stood in solidarity with us here in person, at rallies around the country, and through phone calls and letters. This is a victory for organizing, and it doesn't stop now. We are asking our supporters to keep up the pressure, because while President Obama has granted us a victory today, that victory isn't guaranteed in the next administration. More threats are likely in the year to come, and we cannot stop until this pipeline is completely and utterly defeated, and our water and climate are safe.”

LaDonna Allard, Director of the Sacred Stone Camp, says, “I was asked, “When do you consider this pipeline issue to be over?” I said, when every pipe is out of the ground and the earth is repaired across the United States. I am not negotiating, I am got backing down. I must stand for our grandchildren and for the water.”

Read more at sacredstonecamp.org/blog/

News Roundup: December 2, 2016

December: Every Day is a #NoDAPL Day of Action

On November 20th the police and National Guard violently attacked peaceful water protectors at Standing Rock. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, sound grenades, and sprayed them with water cannons in subfreezing conditions, hundreds of people were injured. Read more. 

After a three-year search, South Philly Food Co-op reveals location

After a long search, three years to be exact, the South Philly Food Co-op has finally found a new home.

Its grand reveal came Tuesday night at a party with the co-op's board of directors and around 100 others. South Philadelphians will soon be able to find the member-owned and operated grocery store at 2031 S. Juniper St., near Broad Street and Passyunk and Snyder avenues. Read more.

City seeks buyer for 36 MOVE bombing properties on Osage and Pine

The city has invited developers to bid on 36 controversial properties on the 6200 blocks of Osage and Pine hastily rebuilt following the MOVE bombing in 1985.

A fire began after police dropped a small bomb from a helicopter on a home at 6221 Osage Ave. following a long standoff with members of the black liberation group MOVE, who had barricaded themselves inside. Eleven people, including five children, were killed in the fire that followed the bombing. More than 50 neighboring homes were destroyed. Read more.