Fixing the Future: How Cooperative Businesses are Building a Better World

SEATTLE, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cooperatives have long been putting people before profits and are more concerned with Main Street as opposed to Wall Street.  Whether in a developing nation, or among a cooperative of dairy farmers in Wisconsin, or orange growers in Florida, when people are more concerned about human potential and communities, we all do better. It is no surprise that the United Nation General Assembly has declared 2012 as the Year of the Cooperative. 

On March 29th, 2012, Ylse van der Schoot, Director Investor Relations, from Oikocredit International, Diana Crane, Director of Sustainability, PCC Natural Markets, and Debbie Wege, BECU Manager of Community Relations will share their views and stories about how cooperatives are building a better world.  This free public educational event will be held at Bloedel Hall at Saint Mark's Cathedral and is ideally suited for those that want to learn more about the cooperative movement that is creating more jobs, creating more opportunities, and helping others to realize their potential in the Puget Sound and across the world.

Event Details:

When: March 29th, 2012  6:30-8:30pm
Where: Bloedel Hall at Saint Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Avenue East, Seattle, WA
Cost to Attend:   Free.  Refreshments and snacks provided. RSVP appreciated

For further information about this event please visit http://www.oikocreditnorthwest.org/content/events or call (206)-356-8811

About BECU
Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, BECU is a not-for-profit credit union owned by the members. Profits are returned to the members in the form of better rates and fewer fees. With more than 750,000 members and more than $9.9 billion in assets, BECU is the largest credit union in Washington and one of the top five financial cooperatives in the country. BECU currently operates over 40 locations in the Puget Sound region. All Washington state residents are eligible to join. https://www.becu.org

About PCC Natural Markets: Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retail cooperative with annual sales of $158 million and an active membership of 46,000 households. PCC operates nine stores in the Seward Park, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Fremont, Kirkland, Redmond, Edmonds and Issaquah neighborhoods. http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

About Oikocredit:  Oikocredit Northwest was established to support the work of Oikocredit UA (Oikocredit), an international development cooperative, that through 900 partners (290 of which are cooperatives) helps poor and marginalized people by empowering them with credit. Our mission is to inform and educate our fellow citizens about microfinance in general and Oikocredit in specific. Our Board and committees are comprised of dedicated volunteers who are committed to helping spread the word about microfinance as a pathway out of poverty.  http://www.oikocreditnorthwest.org

SOURCE BECU