History of the Prospect Park Co-op Legacy Fund

The Prospect Park Grocery Cooperative was founded in 1930’s by 5 friends in Prospect Park and incorporated as the Prospect Park Consumer Cooperative in 1948.  In 1953, its name was changed to the Prospect Park Cooperative.    Members of the coop were focused on the social aspect of buying food together, buying bulk items and picking them up in the neighborhood. 

The club grew, moved several times, added new items, and continued to serve its members as a social and economic center to people’s lives. At some point, there was criticism from neighbors suggesting the coop should be a store. This forced the club to move out of homes and in 1951, purchase a building  at 1 27th Ave. SE.  The building was shared with the  Prospect Park Nursery School and had an apartment on the second floor. 

When legal issues arose around notice that a cooperative society should not own a house, a new non-profit was formed,  Consumer Association for Community Action (CACA). Eventually, the co-op folded as women went to work and members got older.  The main company selling to the coop refused to sell to the members unless it promised to become a more traditional store.  The members refused, remaining true to the concept that friendships, mutual trust, and the basic values of equality and democratic ideological values, and the practical food buying club operations.

After 39 years, members of CACA decided  to sell the house and use income from the assets to give small grants to benefit other Southeast nonprofits.  In 2002, the organization became a public charity so that tax-exempt donations could be made  to the organization - Prospect Park Co-op Legacy Foundation was born.

Funds have been added to those of CACA including Pratt Council, the estate of Mary Alice Kopf, a neighborhood icon who died in 2019, and generous contributions from individuals.

The interest from those investments was and is used to fulfill grant requests from the neighborhood.  Amounts up to $1500 are donated to 6-10 projects each year. PPCLF has donated thousands of dollars annually to local programs and organizations.  They provide programming and support to the community. Southeast Seniors, Luxton Learners, Community Gardens, and Glendale Food Shelf are examples of past grantees. 

For more in depth information, visit the Hennepin County History Museum’s information about the Co-op.