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ImageAutumn Leaves Used Books owner Joe Wetmore was the recipient of Alternatives Federal Credit Union’s annual Jeff Furman Award for Social Responsibility.   The award was presented to Wetmore at Alternatives’ Annual Meeting on June 2.

The Jeff Furman Award is presented annually to an Alternatives member business that exemplifies social responsibility in business. It’s named after Alternatives member and community activist Jeff Furman for his long and illustrious career promoting social responsibility in business. One member of the selection committee said, “While there were several deserving nominations, Joe rose to the top of the nominees because of his lifetime achievement.”

Autumn Leaves was one of the first Living Wage Certified Employers, more impressive because Wetmore is competing in an industry that characteristically does not pay a Living Wage.  Tompkins County Workers Center’s Pete Meyers says, “On a larger level of worker rights, it is clear to the Workers' Center through numerous conversations with workers in the bookstore and café that Joe very much values his workers.  In fact, according to Joe, valuing his workers is very much part of the business plan of running a socially responsible and effective business.”

Wetmore has also supported numerous progressive organizations in Tompkins County through his generous rental of the space upstairs from the bookstore.  Autumn Leaves also houses an Alternatives depository ATM, the only fee-free ATM to all users – per Wetmore’s wishes.

Wetmore’s gratitude for the award extends to all those who helped him with Autumn Leaves over the years. "Small businesses like mine are never built or sustained by a single person.  It takes a tremendous amount of assistance from co-workers and the community, both to open a business and to keep it going."

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