Updated September 15

Federated Co-operatives Ltd.'s (FCL) Co-op Helps is a disaster relief and community response program that provides timely support for local Co-ops to activate if and when an immediate need for support arises in a community. The Co-op Helps program has provided Dauphin Co-op with an extra $10,000 to match the first $5k the Co-op has provided for the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund and the Canadian Red Cross Ukrainian Crisis Humanitarian Appeal.

"Co-ops were built to serve and support communities." said Lorne Eiffert, Dauphin Co-op General Manager. "There are many members of our local community being directly impacted by this situation, as well as new members of our community. We are pleased to support the Canadian Red Cross in providing relief efforts where it is needed and the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund to support newcomers where they need it most."

Updated August 18

Co-op Grocery Team Member, Cynthia Prawdzik, issued a challenge to the rest of the Team Members to donate school supplies or money to help support the new Ukrainian families that have moved here through the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund.

Quietly behind the scenes, Team members began offering donations, matching each other and purchasing items needed for the ten students that will be attending school here in September. Some of our Team Member’s children even made donations to help. We were pleased to present the school supplies, money for the school fees and a bit of extra money to Don Tarrant and Pam Iwanchysko, of the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund and a few of the students.

We found out that a few more families had arrived resulting in six more students that could use some help with supplies. Quickly, our Team Members continued to make significant donations to make sure everything was covered. In total, over $1,375 was raised among our Co-op Team Members and family members and we would like to thank them for their generosity and kindness to help these students and their families get off on the right foot for the new school year about to start in a few weeks. 

We want to welcome the new families and hope they know that our community is behind them and we want them to feel at home here. 

Back row - Don Tarrant, Pam Iwanchysko, Joe Houston, Michelle Langevin, Cynthia Prawdzik,
Courtney Seitter, Jane Belanger and Lori Baker
Front row - Zlata, Tanya and Sophia
Missing – Savannah Prawdzik, Aiden Seitter, Barb Senyk, Melinda Harris, Tracy Bosiak, Ryan Lobert, and Marie Armstrong (retired Team Member), and Joan Chetyrbok

Updated July, 2

Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund Podcast with Ukrainian Families at Dauphin Co-op courtesy of Tamara Michele. We had the privilege to meet a few of the people that have moved to Dauphin after fleeing the war in Ukraine and learn about their experiences. 

The war in Ukraine may seem so far away when you watch it on the nightly news. To hear about what was experienced by the families that have moved to our area really hits home and makes us realize how lucky we are and to not take anything for granted because it could change in an instant. These individuals were awakened by bombing and didn't know what was going on. It is hard to imagine what it was like when you wake up to something like that and nothing is ever the same again.

We are both humbled and honoured to be able to help some of the people that have left everything behind and come to our area to begin a new life. Please watch the video produced by Tamara Michele as she interviews some of the newcomers and Dauphin Co-op's Board Members and General Manager.

May 31, 2022

When war broke out in Ukraine, we knew immediately that we had to do something to help. We committed to holding a fundraiser for the Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, pledging to match the first $5,000 raised.

Thanks to the generosity of our community we were able to send $12,200 to the Red Cross for immediate help needed. See more about our support  We Stand With Ukraine.

We learned of the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund at the same time that we began the Red Cross Fundraiser. We knew we wanted to support the fund as well. 

Thanks to the devotion and hard work of the committee going on behind the scenes, arrangements have been made to invite several families to our area. With a very strong Ukrainian culture right here in Dauphin, we hope to help families arriving to feel welcome and safe. 

Dauphin Co-op is pleased to donate $24,100 to help cover food and fuel for families arriving in Dauphin. We hope to give them a feeling of safety and security knowing the whole community is behind them and we care.

Dauphin Co-op has an Employee Volunteer Program where employees that volunteer in the community may participate in a quarterly draw for a $500 donation to a charity of their choice. Murray Lennartz volunteered well over 130 hours for Dauphin and District Snowmobile Club and Snoman Inc. last year. When his name was drawn as the winner, he chose to make the donation to the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund on behalf of the Dauphin and District Snowmobile Club. The Club had wanted to make a contribution to the fund and were looking at ways to come up with the money since they are a non-profit organization. Murray winning the $500 donation worked out perfectly. The club was able to make a contribution to the fund and we are very proud to present Murray with a cheque to do so.

Pictured above: Larry Hrytsay, Tere Stykalo, Murray Lennartz, Don Tarrant, and Jim Perchaluk