The Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF)’s Disaster Recovery Fund helps cooperatives and their members recovering from natural disasters and other crises or emergency hardship situations.
In response to the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Helene, CDF’s Disaster Recovery Fund is partnering with America’s Electric Cooperatives and National Co+op Grocers (NCG) to raise funds for co-ops recovering from the storm’s impact. Donations will go directly toward ensuring electric cooperatives are fully equipped to restore power to areas affected by Helene; and supporting the entire food co-op ecosystem’s recovery efforts. NCG will match all donations up to $100,000 by October 31.
Support electric co-ops Support the food co-op ecosystem
CDF is grateful to the more than 200 donors who have rallied to support co-op recovery in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. As of 3 pm on October 8, we have raised $72,601.05 for rural electric co-ops and $70,171.40 for the food co-op ecosystem for a total of $143,772.45 raised.
Importantly, CDF does not charge operating or administrative fees to donations made to the Disaster Recovery Fund. This means 100 percent of your gift goes to cooperatives in need.
Want to help co-ops in general get back to business? Donate to CDF’s general Disaster Recovery Fund. Importantly, CDF does not charge operating or administrative fees to donations made to the Disaster Recovery Fund. This means 100 percent of your gift goes to cooperatives in need.
Support general disaster recovery
Cooperatives at the grassroots level are jumping into action, too, with mutual aid, relief funds and other campaigns. Learn more about them below, and consider donating.
- U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives members PODER Emma/La Milpa are accepting donations here.
- MutualAidDisasterRelief – Donate through their fundraiser page or Venmo @MutualAidDisasterRelief.
- Local Asheville organizers – Donate through Venmo @AppMedSolid or Cash App $Streets1de with “Flood Support” in the memo.
- Donate to the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky’s Appalachian Helene Response Fund here.
- USFWC member Firestorm Books is acting as an in-person resource and information hub with a daily meeting that serves as a space for neighbors to get verified. updates and coordinate mutual aid efforts. Support them by ordering books from their online store, but expect considerable shipping delays.
- Carolina Common Enterprise is raising funds to restore and rebuild co-ops in the Appalachian region.