Copacol celebrates 61 years with the delivery of 532 homes in an unprecedented project in Paraná

An unprecedented partnership in Paraná, the Copacol Housing Project made the dream of owning a home come true for 532 families of the Cooperative's employees. The economic development of the cities of Cafelândia and Nova Aurora attracts professionals from different regions, due to the job and income opportunities provided by Copacol, which also celebrated its 61st anniversary with a religious ceremony and the official cake cutting with members and employees. 

“Thanks to the cooperative movement, we are monitoring the delivery of these homes to hundreds of families. They are collaborators who are committed to continuing this link of opportunities. The homes symbolize the social contribution generated by Copacol: the Cooperative makes the region even more visible, so that residents can benefit from infrastructure, education and housing, which is essential for everyone to have a dignified future,” says Copacol CEO Valter Pitol.

With all the infrastructure in place, the beneficiaries received 43,85 square meter homes, with ceramic flooring in all rooms, an integrated living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom with tiles in the wet areas, a covered laundry room, a backyard and a garage space. The lots range from 151 square meters to 180 square meters, allowing for expansion of the homes. The construction work in both cities was carried out by Construtora Pacaembu, which also installed sewage, a water supply network, paving, an electrical network and road signs.

The total investment for the Copacol Housing Project is R$80,5 million. To carry out the project, the government of Paraná, Cohapar (Paraná Housing Company), Caixa Econômica Federal and Copacol joined forces, donating land for the construction of houses in both cities. “Copacol is the first cooperative to enter into this agreement. Our intention is to build more than ten thousand houses with the support of the cooperatives. Valter Pitol, president of Copacol, understood this two years ago and today we are participating in this pioneering delivery. The cooperatives need labor and in this way we are meeting the needs of the sector”, says the vice-governor, Darci Piana, who also attended the event in Cafelândia.

Altieles de Oliveira, 22, and Thaisa Bruna Ferreira, 25, who work at the Poultry Industrial Unit in Cafelândia, have been dreaming of owning their own home for two years. They registered as soon as the Copacol Housing Project was launched and are now celebrating receiving the keys. “It’s a dream for us, to ensure a secure future for our daughter, Sophia, who is six months old. What’s more, we’re in what’s ours, we won’t have to pay rent anymore, and we can come home from work and rest easy,” says the young couple.

Benefits

Of the families that benefited, 405 families received a subsidy from the state government for the down payment through the Casa Fácil Paraná program. In addition to the down payment, there were financing options through the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program, with monthly installments between R$450 and R$630, in addition to the release of FGTS funds to pay off the outstanding balance.

Cafelândia is one of the largest poultry producers in Paraná, and Nova Aurora is the second largest tilapia producer in Brazil. Both cities have important industrial units and Copacol is the largest employer. This economic impact led the state to enter into partnerships with cooperatives. “This is an important step taken two years ago, uniting the state and cooperatives to solve the housing shortage in cities with high job creation. After a conversation with president Valter Pitol, we took on the challenge. Construtora Pacaembu agreed to be part of this challenge and we are now delivering the first units,” says Cohapar president Jorge Lange. Another thousand homes have already been contracted in this same model in Palotina and another 1,8 in Assis Chateaubriand.

Copacol Anniversary

With revenues approaching R$10 billion, Copacol celebrated its 61st anniversary in advance this Friday with a religious celebration at its units and special coffee for its members and employees. The moment was one of reflection on the trajectory of challenges and achievements that have made the Cooperative one of the largest in the country, generating employment, income and quality of life in the countryside and in the cities.

Copacol was the first cooperative in Western Paraná, founded on October 23, 1963, by Father Luís Luise and 32 farmers. “We celebrate the good performance of our activities, thanks to the union of 9,4 cooperative members and 16 employees. It is with the purpose of always cooperating that Copacol has acted throughout the last 61 years: by generating opportunities, transforming realities and providing quality of life for everyone”, adds Valter Pitol.