Advisory Referendum Update
At the Board meeting held on February 16, 2026, the East End Food Co-op Board voted to conduct an Advisory (Non-Binding) Member Referendum on the question of whether our Co-op should implement a boycott of Israeli-sourced products. The Board voted against conducting a Binding Member Referendum on the subject, as requested by the petition received by the Board at our Annual Meeting on November 6, 2025.
We are grateful to everyone whose voice we have heard throughout this process. These are delicate matters, and the Board approached this decision with great care and consideration. We thank all members who contributed their opinions, whether by signing a petition, responding to the survey, or speaking before their fellow members at Board meetings or the Special Meeting. The range of opinions speaks to the diversity of our membership, the complexity of the issue, and the love we share for our Co-op and our community.
Member input is vital to our Co-op. To proceed confidently and democratically, and in the best interests of the Co-op, we determined that the Board would like to hear from a larger portion of the membership. We ask all members to reflect on what it would mean for EEFC to boycott Israeli-sourced products, and then register their opinion by voting on the Advisory Referendum that will be placed before membership. The Board will incorporate the results of the advisory referendum, including the level of member participation, as it deliberates EEFC’s next steps on the boycott issue.
The Board is currently working on a plan for the Advisory Referendum. We will share those details in the coming weeks. We ask for continued good faith, patience, and care for one another as we move forward together.
In cooperation,