Breadroot Information

As you probably know, Breadroot has grown considerably in the last couple of years. Thankfully, we have a dedicated staff and a ton of wonderful volunteers to help keep the store looking great and operating efficiently. However, one aspect that has lacked sufficient support in the last year or so is the technology infrastructure. I have done my best to keep up with changes and to fix things as needed, and luckily we have not had too many serious issues come up with the systems and software that we use. However, my list of issues and enhancements (both necessary and desired) has grown, and it doesn't seem like I can keep up. There are currently several people that help with the computers, website, content, and software that we use, but we have never officially formed any kind of structure that will provide a way to centralize our technology needs. My goal, over the next few weeks is to formalize this group of people and to setup a technology committee, so that we have some structure, organization, and planning for our technology needs. The formation of this group will help off-load the Board of Directors by minimizing their interactions, so that they have time to focus on the growth and well-being of the Coop in a more general way. Basically, we are a Linux shop, and our infrastructure is designed around this. Linux is a cooperative effort to develop open-source software that can be used by anyone; software experts share their expertise with the community to make software better and more accessible to people that need it. This sounds very similar to the goals of the Breadroot Cooperative, which is primarily the reason we want to support (and possibly give back to) the Linux and open source communities. However, our needs go beyond just the computers and software we use. We want to find ways to leverage technology to make the coop a better place. So, if you or anyone you know has an interest in helping with the technology infrastructure at the Coop, please let me know. We have specific needs, but we are also ...