This month we're delighted to shine the spotlight on Abbi Krisniski (MO#1303), whose insatiable love for problem-solving and tremendous organizational prowess as a project manager have made her an invaluable member of our Capital Campaign Team. 

Abbi was born and raised just south of Albany and, despite leaving many times to wander around the country, has always found her way back to New York. Upon her most recent return, she decided she wasn’t leaving again and started looking for ways to get involved locally. In that process, she found Electric City Community Grocery, and she is so glad that she did.

Abbi has spent much of her career working in event planning, operations, and program management. She enjoys bringing order and structure to overwhelm and helping complicated things run smoothly, something she also does as a life coach. She’s a certified chaos pilot and relentlessly optimistic that things can always be figured out (because they can!).

Outside of work and volunteering, Abbi loves feeding people. Whether it’s feeding the Co-Op crew, baking, hosting holidays, or stocking the community free fridge, she sees food as one of the simplest and most powerful ways to care for others. It’s the same impulse that draws her to places built to nourish people in practical, everyday ways. She believes that the connections we make and the energy we cultivate through those connections are what give everyday life its meaning.

What do you like about being part of the co-op community? 

What I appreciate most is the sense of connection it creates. I’ve only been involved for a few months, but in that time I’ve become more aware of what’s happening locally than I ever have before- and so much positivity has come from it. You really do get out of it what you put in by showing up, participating, and supporting any way you can! Being part of the co-op has opened up so many doors for me, emotionally and literally. It has deepened my connection to my neighbors and the city we all live in.

What will having a downtown grocery mean to you?

The day the doors open will certainly represent success, because of all of the effort that went into creating this for such a long time. So many people have contributed time, energy, and resources to bring this into reality. It will be a visible reminder of what’s possible when people invest in themselves and their home. It won’t belong to one group or effort, but to the collective work that made it real. That is very powerful. 

What do you love about Schenectady?

I love the people who choose to show up and make the community what it is. They’re what give meaning to the name on the map. Community doesn’t happen by accident; it grows when people decide to put down roots and stay engaged. It grows when people go to the function, support the cause, or simply ask how they can help. It grows when people invest their time, their attention, and their presence. Finding a community where people are doing just that is a beautiful thing, and they make this a meaningful place to call home.