The fund will direct tax-deductible contributions specifically to individuals and cooperative businesses along the East Coast and throughout New England who have experienced losses. The fund also will seek to assist organic farmers who are prime suppliers to food cooperatives.

Regions throughout the continental United States have been hit by a devastating series of storms, tornadoes, floods and wildfires.  In the latest major storm, Hurricane Irene, the victims again include co-ops and their members.  The devastation has been massive, with flooding and wind damage that has inundated both urban and rural areas from North Carolina to Vermont.  The Cooperative Development Foundation applauds the resiliency of the people affected and the extraordinary work being done by government response teams and disaster relief agencies.  We encourage your support for relief efforts that are providing invaluable support for victims, but we also ask you to consider a donation to this Fund which is focused on recovery of cooperatives and their members.

This is all about co-ops helping co-ops

Every time there has been a disaster, the public and the cooperative community have responded with financial assistance and we know that you will be there again for victims of Hurricane Irene as well.  Cooperatives have been an important building block in bringing economic development to many parts of this multi-state area.  Cooperatives have raised incomes and provided affordable services — providing agricultural production infrastructure, housing, access to healthy foods, access to credit and rural utility services, and access to markets for crops.  In many areas, this infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, leaving cooperatives and their members with few tools to rebuild and help themselves recover from these disasters.

We want to thank the National Consumer Cooperative Bank (NCB) and the National Cooperative Grocers Association(NCGA) for seeding this fund with $5,000 contributions.  The fund will seek contributions from all sectors of the cooperative business community and from the general public.

CDF will collaborate with other Co-op Organizations

CDF will partner on this fund drive with its colleagues in the cooperative community, both nationally and in the region to assure the maximum possible impact. CDF’s primary points of contact in the affected area will be the Cooperative Fund of New England and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association who will assist in identifying the needs and dispersing funds to those with the greatest needs.  Other partners who will assist in outreach and identification of needs include:  Cooperative Development Institute , National Cooperative Grocers Association , the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund , Valley Alliance of Worker Cooperatives, and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives.

CDF will take no administrative fee for funds raised to assure that 100% of the funds donated reach the people and organizations who need help

Your donation will support cooperative recovery from the devastation brought on by Hurricane Irene.  Your tax-deductible contribution will assist cooperatives and their members and staff who have experienced losses. The fund also will seek to assist organic farmers who are prime suppliers to food cooperatives.

All donations are 100% tax deductible.

Thanks to a grant from Google, 100% of your donation will go toward the recovery process.

To make a donation by check, checks should be made out to: “CDF-Irene Recovery Fund” and mailed to:

Cooperative Development Foundation
2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22202.