We are an organization of people and congregations from the Cincinnati religious community. We are conducting a community economic development campaign by creating employee owned cooperative businesses. Co-ops, as they are called, offer people a dramatic opportunity to exercise new control in their lives.

We are concerned about the long term scarcity of jobs, ownership opportunities, stable community and voice in many of our neighborhoods.

Cooperative businesses are part of the market economy. They started in nineteenth century England. Today they thrive around the world. Most notable are the Mondragon Cooperatives in the Basque region of Spain.

The success of Cooperative Janitorial Services and its fifteen members (workers/owners) says cooperative businesses in low income communities can be very successful, stable ventures. Community Blend, a co-op coffee shop, is the newest cooperative. Opening in 2012, it will feature fair trade and local products with Equal Exchange being its largest supplier.
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This video uses several brief interviews to give an overview of Interfaith Business Builders and the two employee owned cooperative businesses affiliated with it, Cooperative Janitorial Services and Community Blend.