Matthew Burns

What inspires you to serve on the board of Bloomington Cooperative Services?

Serving on the board is an amazing opportunity to invest in our community and build lasting relationships. A more active role in an organization pursuing local development while promoting health, care for the land, and sustainability is wildly inspiring!

What experience or involvement have you had with Bloomingfoods and/or other cooperatives?

I’ve been a regular at Bloomingfoods since moving to Bloomington!  During my undergrad at Michigan State, local community members launched a food co-op from scratch (ELFCO). I built relationships between the co-op, university, and students with a focus on accessible programs.

What has been your experience working cooperatively with small groups of people?

I honed my ability to work cooperatively during my time at the Alliance to End Hunger - a coalition of organizations working to end the root cause of hunger. Representing and advocating for diverse voices from across the country, I learned how to communicate effectively and engage people with lived experiences.

Please share any professional, volunteer, or life experience you have had that will provide insight when serving on the BCS Board of Directors. Include knowledge, skills, formal training, and education that will contribute to the mission of our co-op.

I have undergraduate degrees in Political Theory, and Economics. Currently, I’m an MPA student studying nonprofit management. This education has prepared me to navigate the organization’s operations, policymaking, and business finances.

How do your values and lifestyle align with the values and mission of the co-op?

Flint, Michigan - where many in my family call home - responded to the water crisis with a community-wide healthy food playbook. It was designed with my same values of fairness, compassion, and creativity. The co-op’s work - like in Flint - is a positive feedback loop of compassion, fairness, and creativity.

Given the stated Ends of BCS, what do you see as the primary role of BCS in the community?

BCS is the table where Bloomington breaks bread. We must ensure diverse voices have a seat at the table, that the meal we share is sustainable and healthy, and our discussion is thoughtful and educating.

What are opportunities and challenges you see for BCS in the future expression of these Ends?

Bloomington is one of the worst cities in America in income inequality post-pandemic. The missing middle poses massive challenges in maintaining a store whose only concern isn’t corporate profits. Thoughtful community investment, dignified employment, and high engagement opportunities can build the social capital we need to weather this storm.

Please share any other brief statement that you feel is important regarding your potential service as a member of our board.

I will approach every decision and discussion by first asking “how will ____ impact us in the long run” and “how will ____ impact our resiliency?” We cannot uphold our goal of supporting future generations unless every crossroads is met with this prospective lens.

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