As each has recieved a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves, as one who serves by strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

1 Peter 4:10-11

Encouragers Co-op was started in 2007 by Candice Avey. A couple of years prior, Candice and her family had relocated to Tucson from Michigan, where she and her young son at the time, were part of a vibrant co-op community, through their church. Soon after they settled into Tucson, Candice began missing the supportive network she found in her co-op in Michigan and her son began missing socializing with his friends. 

Consequently, she set out in search of a co-op that could fit their needs for their homeschooling season. After doing some research in her local area, she found, there were none. With this realization, Candice began to get a tug on her heart, to begin a co-op herself. So with some prayer and a big leap of faith, she acted on that nudge, and launched Encouragers Co-op at her church. The first year of Encouragers Co-op began with only twelve families, however once families learned of it, the co-op grew to thirty families, the next year. 

Upon its inception, the mission of the co-op was simple, to glorify God, to offer support to homeschooling parents and to create fun educational activities and socializing opportunities for their children in a safe, faith based environment. Candice, recalls a time, when she would walk the halls of the church, and hear the laughter and see the happiness of the children, as she peered through the classroom windows, to see them learning with their friends. 

As the co-op grew and remained steady over the years, it was not without challenges. The co-op has relied on the grace and support of many local churches to allow them to use their facility for one day a week. Because of this, the location of the co-op, has changed several times. Despite those logistical challenges, the co-op continued to see growth. Candice remembers some of the most fruitful years, being the years when the co-op remained smaller in size, because it allowed for a more intimate and personalized community, where nurturing relationships was highly valued. During her time with the co-op, Candice realized what an important ministry Encouragers co-op had become. 

Through the years, Encouragers Co-op has seen many families come and go; families who have graduated children from the co-op, families whose children have graduated from the co-op, but have a parent return to facilitate classes, to families who have welcomed grandchildren into the co-op. The success and longevity of Encouragers is also due to the countless number of devoted parents who have followed in Candice’s footsteps by serving the co-op and by keeping true to the mission, to help it thrive year after year. 

Encouragers co-op is grateful for the faith and courage of Candice, to begin something so special that continues to be a solid fixture for many northwest Christian homeschooling families till this day. These days, Candice is still very active in her local church community and as a Mom. She and her husband, have been blessed to witness the numerous academic accomplishments of their children as they have seen their son continue his education at Huntington University, their oldest daughter graduate from the U of A in 2015 and will soon see their youngest daughter graduate from college, early in 2024. God is good.