SHARE Cooperative of WS – Harvest Market – A Community That CARES!

photos by TATUM TUCKER

Following their hearts, their faith and the mission to “Supply Honest And Respectful Engagement” – the Rev. Gary Williams and the Rev. Willard Bass, Jr. founded SHARE Cooperative of Winston-Salem in 2016. They then spotted the current space that houses the long-awaited Harvest Market.

Since launching the faith-based mission, the dream of opening a fresh food and produce market has been the primary goal. Thanks to incredibly generous community support, including a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and a grant from the city of Winston-Salem, the Harvest Market opened last October. Their motto is simple: There’s something here for everyone!

Healthy, reasonably priced, readily accessible food is the main focus, as well as uniting the community through focused engagement, with a place in which all Winston-Salem residents can flourish. A full-service grocery store, Harvest Market carries fresh produce, fresh meats, pantry staples, paper products and cleaning supplies. You’ll find name brands on the shelves, and since the market is member-driven, members have input into items they’d like to see available.

Rev. Williams and Rev. Bass wisely formulated the plan for this project out of a need of local citizens, under-served by other grocery and food outlets. As of today, the Harvest Market is the closest grocery store to downtown Winston-Salem!

Co-op members, already more than 575 in number, receive a 5% discount on the marked prices of food in the market, along with invitations to special events throughout the year. Member-Owners are also invited to attend board meetings and become involved in the daily operations of the co-op. An individual membership costs $100.00 – or, there’s a full plates membership at $75 for students, seniors and SNAP recipients. Corporate memberships are available for $275. As a Member-Owner, you’re also afforded the wonderful opportunity to interact with like-minded neighbors and be part of something truly special in your community!

Williams, Bass and the SHARE Cooperative board are proud of the growing market and all its possibilities, including hopes for a second location in the future. Board member Richie Williams shares other exciting news as well.

“We have just finished negotiations with Rosey Bloom’s, a local family owned and operated company, that will begin operating the market’s commercial kitchen in the next few weeks!” Rosey Bloom’s famous collard greens are already available in the market by the jar – and other local vendors are always invited to share tasting events for shoppers.

The SHARE Cooperative was developed in partnership with The Freedom Tree at IDR and other various socio-economic and ethnic groups that make up the Winston-Salem community. The collaborators include the following:

Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
Hubbard Commercial LLC
City of Winston-Salem, NC
Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity
Winston-Salem State University
Simon Green Atkins Community Development Corporation
Parkway United Church of Christ
First Baptist Church, Highland Avenue
First Presbyterian Church, Winston-Salem
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Brenner Children’s Hospital
Wake Forest University
Goler Community Development Corporation
Spruce Design
Knollwood Baptist Church
Peace Haven Baptist Church, Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Foundation
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation
Reinvestment Fund – Healthy Food Financing Initiative
Piedmont Triad Regional Development Corporation
Forsyth County
Z Smith Reynolds
American Heart Association
United Health Association
Filipowski-Race Family
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Centenary United Methodist Church
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston Salem
Trinity Presbyterian Church and the
Davie Construction Company.

For more information on the Harvest Market or SHARE Cooperative, visit the website Share-ws.coop, follow them on Facebook, email info@share-ws.coop or call 336.283.3299. The market is located at 635-A Peters Creek Parkway, with daily hours of 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Members and non-members are always invited to visit and purchase groceries at the Harvest Market.

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Martie Emory

A long-time member of the Forsyth Magazines writing team, Martie is originally from High Point, and has a degree in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. She’s a Carolina girl in every sense of the word – she loves Carolina basketball! Martie has two grown sons, Beau and Matthew, who are the light of her life, and an adorable terrier mix named Murray joined their family last year as well! Martie enjoys traveling and listening to music. She loves the camaraderie of the women involved with the magazines, and the chance to spotlight and nurture small businesses.

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