Support for Ukrainians during the war: How Coca-Cola helps communities and people at this critical time
5 years, and residents of different settlements needed and continue to need support. In these difficult times, Coca-Cola continues to help. Moreover, it is assistance in a variety of areas - from product kits and generators to grants in support of agricultural life of households that have been negatively influenced by the war.
Since February 2022, a full-scale invasion began, Coca-Cola concentrated its efforts on key areas of assistance: providing humanitarian support, restoring infrastructure and responding to the most acute community needs. From February 24, 2022, the Coca-Cola Companies, together with the Coca-Cola Foundation, have pledged to allocate charitable assistance to Ukrainians in the amount of more than $ 35 million.
Humanitarian support for citizens since February 2022 has become one of the important priorities for the Coca-Cola companies. In 2022, Coca-Cola allocated 4. 7 million euros for the supply of 70,000 grocery kits and beverages that felt the most need for food. Together with the Ukrainian Red Cross, these sets were delivered throughout Ukraine. The product kits were formed in accordance with scientifically sound international standards of the Red Cross, which provided their high quality.
One set is a monthly stock of the most necessary and most nutritious products with long shelf life in a package that provides storage without a refrigerator. In Ukraine, drinking water and drinks were also added to the kits. Such a humanitarian program is part of the efforts of Coca-Cola aimed at helping Ukrainian society that suffers from war. The company regularly transfers its products free of charge within a variety of charitable initiatives.
For example, before the winter holidays at the end of 2023 at the Ukrainian plant "Coca-Cola Beverjiz Ukraine" produced a special gift charity party-a million one and a half liter bottles of Coca-Cola marked on the label: "For you".
With the help of partner humanities-the Ukrainian Red Cross, Caritas of Ukraine and BF MII-Coca-Cola received as a gift to families who found themselves in difficult life circumstances, domestic displaced persons, lone parents, large families, persons with persons with families. Disability in all regions of Ukraine. In addition, the company's products were sent to communities near the fighting line.
It is important to note that a million one and a half liters of Coca-Cola with a special mark on the label "for you" made for charity "Coca-Cola Beverjiz Ukraine" is the highest number of bottling beverages produced for charity in Ukraine, and this record is officially made to Of the National Register of Records of Ukraine.
During the war, residents of the country were not only protected risks, but also difficulties related to the supply of electricity and heat, as the aggressor did not stop firing of Ukraine's infrastructure. The Coca-Cola companies transferred to hospitals, schools, kindergartens, boarding schools and centers for temporarily displaced persons 54 generators, with a total capacity of 1. 1 MW last year. In addition to the generators, the company also transferred bedrooms - only 5,000 sets.
Another important project of Coca-Cola to strengthen the energy and heat dependence of the communities during a full-scale war was the transfer of 45 mobile boilers in the fall of the last fall, which most needed the help before the start of the last heating season. Such boiler rooms were made by the Ukrainian manufacturer on the request of the Ukrainian Red Cross with the financial support of the Coca-Cola.
"Coca-Cola purchased a boiler room from the Ukrainian manufacturer who will heat up hospitals, schools, dwellings. We have formed orders for their manufacture in advance and extremely satisfied that we managed to put boiler rooms in the communities at the beginning of the heating season,"-said this project Andrew Bublik, commented. Corporate Relations and Sustainable Development Director Coca-Cola HBC in Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova.
In total, 13 boiler rooms with a capacity of 200 kW, 20 boilers with a capacity of 500 kW and 12 boilers with a capacity of 1000 kW were delivered to the community. The boiler rooms work on natural gas, the production of which is sufficient for internal needs in Ukraine, and can also switch to diesel in the event of breaks in gas supply.
Most boiler rooms are installed stationary to replace the destroyed and worn out, and in several cities where heat generation works on the verge of opportunities, these boiler rooms are used as spare during accidents. In addition, 60 mobile boilers will be delivered before the heating season in 2024. The reconstruction of the country's infrastructure is an important part of the social program of the Coca-Cola companies.
Therefore, the company invested that $ 3 million in the reconstruction of kindergarten in the village of Bogdanivka in the Kyiv region, destroyed at the beginning of a full -scale invasion. The project implements the Ukrainian Red Cross, which in early 2024 received permits at the beginning of construction work, after which the first stage of construction was immediately launched.
"Coca-Cola has decided to build and give the community to the village of Bogdanivka a new kindergarten in support and respect for Ukrainian people and community, on the territory of which the Ukrainian Coca-Cola Drink Plant has been working on the territory for 25 years. We are confidently standing side by side Our people, communities and clients, and this project is another proof of our unwavering devotion, "-said Adnan Topich, CEO of Coca-Cola HBC in Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova.
Meanwhile, Maxim Dotsenko, CEO of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross, noted that the Ukrainian Red Cross, as the largest humanitarian organization of the country, has a powerful experience not only in the implementation of large -scale humanitarian projects, but also in the reconstruction of social infrastructure.
"We have a ten-year successful history of cooperation with the Coca-Cola companies in Ukraine, and we will make every effort to ensure that children of the community have a new comfortable garden as soon as possible," Maxim Dotsenko said. This year, the Coca-Cola Foundation has allocated $ 300,000 to the US Grand Assistance for the implementation of the Support Program for the most affected agricultural households in Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
The program was implemented by the Ukrainian Red Cross. It is a grant support for household agricultural lives that have been negatively influenced by war. Thanks to the project, households received natural and targeted cash to restore the source of profit from agricultural activity.
The program was implemented in the Kharkiv region (Chuguev district, Malinovsky community, Mospanove village, Stari Gnyitsa village; Chkalovsk community, Grakovo village) and Kherson region (Berislav district, Greater Alexandrovsk community, Persvoimaisko 'Herne).
And for the transfer of grants were selected households that have been partially damaged or completely destroyed as a result of war in Ukraine, those who have at least one working family member aged 18 to 65, as well as households that are owned by land at least one year a site suitable for agricultural activity. The purpose of the program is to help restore agricultural activities, which in most cases is the main source of families.
The households, selected to participate in the program, received a polycarbonate greenhouse from the Ukrainian Red Cross or a motor -block with additional hinged equipment. "We understand that people need to provide such assistance through which they will be able to keep and develop their households, feed families, earn to support life, thereby developing their areas and surrounding areas.
This grant of Coca-Cola Foundation will help restore and support The livelihood of agricultural households in the affected territories, ”said Carlos Pazoga, President of the Coca-Cola Foundation. Households that have shown the successful use of the agricultural equipment provided have also received additional financial assistance to purchase the necessary consumables, such as seeds and protective nets for greenhouses.
Another important grant program is implemented by the Coca-Cola Foundation this year in the south of Ukraine. In the summer of 2024, the Coca-Cola Foundation directed $ 300,000 grant assistance for projects, which should provide the population of the southern regions of Ukraine with access to clean drinking water. In particular, an artesian well was built in the Chernobayivka, in Kherson region.
After all, the dumps of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station have caused a catastrophic situation with fresh water in many areas of Ukraine. The project also implemented a number of other measures to restore and improve equipment to ensure water supply of communities in other regions of Ukraine.
Grants, grocery sets, boiler rooms and generators, company products and investment in the reconstruction of infrastructure objects are just part of the great assistance that Coca-Cola companies provide Ukrainians during a full-scale war. Since the beginning of February 2022, the Coca-Cola Companies, together with the Coca Cola Foundation, have pledged to provide charitable assistance worth more than $ 35 million.