05/22/2026
🎉🎉👏🏾👏🏾The Aliquippa Food Co-op recently hosted an inspiring follow-up design session with our architectural partners POH+W, inside the Gene Karmazyn Black Box Theater—continuing the momentum from the students’ impactful field trip to the East End Food Co-op in Pittsburgh (December 2025).
During this session today, Aliquippa students received valuable insight into the importance of Cooperative Principle, Site Selection and how location directly impacts accessibility, community engagement, and the long-term success of a neighborhood food co-op. Most excitingly, the students were given an exclusive sneak peek at an early rough-fit floor plan of the future Aliquippa Food Co-op—helping them visualize what this transformational project could become for their community.
As a powerful show of solidarity and support for the project, the students also autographed the fit-plan rendering, symbolizing their personal connection, excitement, and belief in the future of the Aliquippa Food Co-op. Their signatures represented more than names on paper—they reflected ownership, pride, and a shared commitment to building something meaningful for future generations.
This experience builds upon the partnership between the Aliquippa Food Co-op and YmPact aka Y-Club, empowering local youth to actively participate in shaping the future of their city through leadership, entrepreneurship, and community development. By involving students early in the planning process, we are creating more than a grocery store—we are building ownership, pride, opportunity, and the next generation of community leaders right here in Aliquippa.
A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Courtney Bingle, Aliquippa School District staff, POH+W Architects (Megan Loney) and YmPact's participation for helping bring this vision & design session together for our youth community..
Help us continue this important work by becoming a member-owner, volunteering, and spreading the word about the Aliquippa Food Co-op. The future is being built together. 🙌🏾🤝