After 22 years of operation, the beloved Riverwest Co-op in Milwaukee was on the brink of closing its doors. However, thanks to the support of the community and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the co-op has been able to stay open with donations and a loan.
The co-op launched a GoFundMe campaign in December 2023, which raised over $33,000 to keep the business going. The volunteer coordinator and events specialist, Wendy Fuller-Nesich, highlighted the impact of the community’s generosity and the $150,000 loan from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. The foundation’s support will enable the co-op to make quarterly interest-only payments for the first year while receiving technical assistance to strengthen their strategic plan.
Juniper Colwell, administrative coordinator of the Riverwest Co-op, expressed gratitude for the community’s support during a challenging time. Kermiath McClendon from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation emphasized
