Ukraine’s cooperative businesses and members are at risk as Russia’s invasion of the country enters week two. In a show of solidarity, the National Co+op Grocers (NCG), an organization of 148 food co-ops across the U.S., has partnered with the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) and NCBA CLUSA to launch a fundraising drive to support the Ukrainian cooperative community’s immediate and ongoing needs during this time.
COOP Ukraine, which includes 15,000 enterprises, 3,000 restaurants, seven hotels, 300 manufacturing businesses and shops, and 300 markets throughout Ukraine, is working to maintain operations so member-owners can continue to rely on co-op goods and services.
“The sense of support and solidarity we feel from around the world gives us strength,” Illia Gorokhovskyi, board chair of COOP Ukraine, said in an email to NCBA CLUSA president and CEO Doug O’Brien, adding that the country’s cooperatives are continuing to serve their members.
“Despite these circumstances, consumer cooperatives are making efforts to provide the population with the necessities of life—primarily food—and delivering them to where they are most needed.”
NCG has pledged a 100 percent match for all donations up to $100,000 made by the food co-op retail system. The cooperative community values the importance of lending support to those in need. In honor of the 6th Cooperative Principle, “cooperation among cooperatives,” CDF will donate funds to help cooperatives impacted in Ukraine. Your donation today can help CDF provide Ukrainian cooperatives with immediate and ongoing support through CDF’s Disaster Recovery Fund.
Support the effort with an online donation or by sending a check to CDF at 1775 Eye St. NW, 8th floor, Washington, DC 20006 indicating Disaster Recovery Fund in the memo line.
