The Food Bank team operates a food bank located at 5894 S. Zang St. in Littleton. The food bank is open on Fridays from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Throughout the week, they are stocking and doing inventory, sorting food bank goods, marketing the food bank, and picking up Food Bank of the Rockies donated food through their Grocery Rescue program. While the food bank doesn’t make monetary profits, the CO-OP members voted to run the food bank to give back to their supportive community. It is considered the philanthropic arm of the CO-OP. The Food Bank team members receive monthly dividend shares and participate actively in business decisions for the CO-OP.

The Culinary team is designed to allow our participants to work on food preparation and safety skills. They make sweet treats and seasonal goods to sell at the coffee shop location, online, or for community member orders. One day a week they cook lunch and sell it to CO-OP members and Stepping Stone staff. The Culinary Team learns meal preparation and planning skills including making grocery lists and grocery shopping for needed ingredients. In addition, the team members enjoy researching and developing new recipes and going over financials on how their items are selling. Culinary outings include visiting speciality equipment shops and local bakeries and cafes.

The Product team makes lip balms, candles, lotions, bath dust, and sniffer butter (for our furry friends). Each week, this team works extremely hard to make sure their products are high quality. They work on inventory, ordering new materials, marketing, research and development, task analysis, and use their creativity to come up with unique labels for their products. They are constantly working together as a team to produce amazing products that our customers love.

The Coffee Shop team is opening a new coffee shop at 5890 S. Alkire St. in Littleton, CO 80127, just up the hill from our center! The team is working hard to prepare for opening while continuing to build the skills needed to run a successful coffee shop. Throughout the week, team members practice inventory management, purchasing supplies, marketing, drink preparation, making syrups, and researching ways to improve their business. They also develop valuable customer service skills, sanitation practices, and other skills needed to work in a coffee shop or food service setting. In addition, the team makes and serves coffee to food bank visitors during Friday food bank hours. The Coffee Shop team is also supported by our Finance Committee, made up of participants from across our CO-OP teams who are interested in developing their finance and money management skills.

The FLAMES team makes dog biscuits, dog toys, stock cards, key chains, book marks, and seasonal items. They enjoy being innovative and experimenting with new product ideas. They support the other CO-OP teams with their creativity, marketing, and creating community relationships for the CO-OP, allowing them to sell their products in other locations. The team members work on marketing skills, creating flyers and ads, and presenting the CO-OP’s mission to businesses in the community.

Our Maintenance Team is the glue that helps hold our center together! From stocking supplies and managing inventory to janitorial work and light van maintenance, this team plays an important role in keeping Stepping Stone organized, clean, safe, and running smoothly. Along the way, team members build valuable skills in teamwork, following step-by-step directions, responsibility, and problem-solving. A huge thank you to every member of our Maintenance Team for your hard work and for everything you do to take care of our center! We appreciate you!