providing more effective alternatives to capitalist firms was so significant by the 21st century that the United Nations Assembly "...declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, in particular recognizing their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.” Contemporary cooperative economics has gained even further popularity since 2012, with numerous TED talks dedicated to the subject; they demonstrate how cooperative economics is able to solve problems in housing, food, and poverty that modern industrial countries have so far been unable to solve. In 2013, the USFWC spawned the Democracy at Work Institute, a sister organization that also facilitates the growth, creation, and conversion of worker cooperatives. Types and Structures of Cooperatives General Structures There are generally four major types of cooperative organizations: Consumers' cooperatives, in which the consumers of a co-operative's goods and services are defined as its members (including retail food co-operatives, credit unions, mutual insurance companies, etc.) (Example: REI, federal credit unions, etc.) Worker cooperatives, which are co-owned and democratically co-managed by workers/contributors. (Example: Home-Care Associates, The Driver's Cooperative, Means TV, etc.) Producer's cooperatives or a suppliers cooperative, which are owned and organized by producers or suppliers, such as farmers (e.g., OceanSpray, Sunsweet, etc.). The surplus is distributed according to how much goods or services the member has supplied the cooperative. Purchasing cooperatives, which are owned by organizations that joint-purchase goods or services. The equity structures of cooperatives are therefore various and unlimited. Some implement private/investor equity while others do not. Since the broad purpose of cooperatives is to offer different power structures than ordinary capitalist institutions (which are owned by profit-seekers that may or may not work at the firm), as well as to improve the economic and social life of workers and all who are involved beyond mere profit and creating products/services, there is much internal debate about what is truly "cooperative," "democratic," etc. For example, if a firm is 60% owned by private investors and 40% owned by workers, this would generally not be considered a "worker-cooperative." ESOPs are also not considered cooperatives even if workers own 100% of the firm, because of the usual lack of democratic governance. Legal Structures Cooperatives may take on different legal structures depending on jurisdiction, such as an LLC, ESOP, 503c non-profit, or a distinctive cooperative legal structure (if the state provides for one, such as Massachusetts). ESOPs (Equity