On Saturday, March 6, Cosmo’s Deli and Ristorante in Port Orchard will be hosting a fundraiser for the Kitsap Community Food Co-op, a group hoping to bring a full-service, locally owned grocery store to the area.

“Cosmo’s is as well-known for their imaginative take on Italian and Mediterranean dishes as they are for their passion for high quality and locally produced products,” said Jennifer Green-Mitchell, a member of the co-op, explaining that a portion of the restaurant’s profits collected from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. will go toward the cooperative.

Green-Mitchell said the ultimate goal of the co-op — which formed in January of 2008 — is to operate a grocery store that will “strongly support the local economy by purchasing as much as possible from local farmers and producers of crafts.”

Once the store is up and running, she said shoppers do not have to become members, but if they do, they will “enjoy (benefits such as) profit sharing, store discounts, and a chance to participate in many of the decisions and direction(s) the store takes.”

Co-op members will be on-hand at Cosmo’s to answer questions and sign-up members.

As of last month, the co-op had 71 member-owners, and its goal for 2010 is to sign up at least 200 member-owners, and to have 500 to 700 by opening day.

More information on the co-op may be found at www.kitsapfoodcoop.org, by contacting board president Laura Moynihan at (360) 813-1301, or via email at info@kitsapfoodcoop.org.