Behind the Scenes With Razom: The Volunteers Packing Thousands of First Aid Kits for Ukraine

Published: August 10, 2022

At the Meest warehouse in Port Reading, New Jersey, hundreds of Razom volunteers of all ages and backgrounds have been hard at work since the early days of russia’s full-scale invasion. They are packing individual first aid kits (IFAKs) and tactical medical backpacks that get shipped to Ukraine and distributed to those who might find themselves in need of first medical help across the country, saving limbs and lives.

With music playing in the background, an organized assembly line powered by volunteers produces 6,000 to 8,000 IFAKs every week. The team recently broke a record – packing over 3,000 IFAKs in one shift.

Andriy Boychuk, who helps organize the process, starts his volunteer days at 7 a.m. Supplies bought off Razom’s Amazon wishlist get delivered, opened, and sorted at his home. He takes that over with him to the warehouse to start his shift at 9 a.m.

There are 15 items that go into an IFAK from tourniquets to gauze to burn dressing, and the warehouse works like a conveyor belt with people responsible for packing about three items each into the kit. Before the IFAK is closed, colorful postcards drawn by kids through the Encourage Ukraine initiative are folded in. Those IFAKs go into boxes, and everything is systematized and labeled so people on the receiving end in Ukraine know exactly what to expect, Andriy said.

Prior to February, Boychuk said he didn’t even know what the term “tacmed” – tactical medicine – meant. A marketer by trade, he spoke to Razom co-founder Mariya Soroka and simply said he wanted to help in any way possible. Today, he is the tacmed coordinator.

The war is not over, Andriy Boychuk said. The war is not a trend or fasion that can be trendy today and not tomorrow. Until it’s done, we have to take action, volunteer, donate. Everyone has to be active.

Yuliia Shama had volunteered with Razom’s Co-Pilot Project and participated in the organization’s book club before russia’s invasion. The week before the war started, Razom issued a call for help with medical donations and Yuliia joined the initiative. She was assigned to the emergency response team working on tactical medicine including finding and procuring important supplies, and consulting with military doctors and other medical experts on what would be needed.

In the early days of the project, approximately 40 people in the United States, Europe and Canada were calling manufacturers and suppliers asking for quotes and looking for high-quality, licensed, and certified supplies, especially high quality tourniquets. “It was 24/7 work for many people to get these quotes and do negotiations,” she said.

In the early weeks, many suppliers donated or waived fees when they found out supplies would be heading to Ukraine. Within three days, the Meest warehouse was full of donations and Shama knew a detailed process and well-organized team was the best way forward.

Today, she’s managing the project in the warehouse and the process is completely streamlined from where to order items to tracking and packing. Donations to Razom are funding purchases of bulk medical supplies going into IFAKs and backpacks.

The most amazing thing, Yuliia Shama said, is to realize that many volunteers only recently met and come from very different backgrounds. We are a very effective team, and as a team everyone is so great. We are working with a lot of understanding.

Shama, who is originally from Kyiv, is in the warehouse three to four days a week and does inventory and makes sure everything is ready before packing starts. She keeps in touch with the supply team to know what is being delivered and manages the other coordinators.

Like many other volunteers, Yuliia is doing all of this on top of a regular job and lives an hour’s drive from the warehouse. Together with Anna Shapoval, who volunteers as a type of HR coordinator for our volunteer network, she found other volunteers and now there’s a team of 20 coordinators. A Signal group chat with over 500 members is moderated by five volunteers who answer questions, provide information, and help people sign up for shifts. As many as 150 people come to volunteer every week, she added.

“This project is on a roll already for five months involving a great amount of human hours of volunteer work that involves tons of communications,” she said.

Shama is immensely grateful to all the people and organizations contributing time, money, and energy to support Ukraine. “There are no safe cities or territories in Ukraine right now,” she said. “It’s important to continue to support Ukraine in any possible way to stop this terror.”

And Razom found a terrific partner working with Meest, Yuliia Shama said. “Meest are the best partners you can ever dream to have.”

In the early days of the war, Razom volunteers and board members approached Meest-America, Inc. about shipping humanitarian aid. They were already familiar with Razom and had lost nearly 85% of its business when the war began. Working together, they were able to revitalize their business on the one hand, and on the other, they were already involved in shipping humanitarian aid. The partnership was a no-brainer.

Razom’s website and Meest’s system are now connected for tracking humanitarian aid that is arriving at the warehouse, and the Razom team is using about 15% of the 92,000 square foot warehouse for packing IFAKs. Donations to Razom cover the costs of shipping aid and the Meest team works on areas including receiving shipments, pallet prep, documentation, and organizing export shipments.

Sergiy Blednov and his wife Olena Blyednova began volunteering in the middle of March. Living only 25 minutes from the warehouse, Sergiy arrives in the morning and makes sure things are organized so volunteers can begin packing aid without any delay. As a coordinator, he organizes items, informs colleagues of any materials running low, and keeps track of all inventory in a spreadsheet. He helps oversee and control the process from getting items to the warehouse all the way to preparing shipping.

Blednov, who works remotely for an IT company, is able to arrange his working day to fit with volunteering. He’s also taken on other crucial responsibilities including bringing pizza at lunchtime and picking music stations to listen to as they pack. With high summer temperatures, Sergiy is installing fans to make sure it’s cooler and volunteers are comfortable working.

For the Blednovs, who have family in Ukraine including their own daughter who went to volunteer with female veterans, volunteering is critically important work.

The war hasn’t finished yet, says Sergiy. We are still fighting and we need more help… We are saving lives and that’s a good reason to help Ukrainian soldiers. But it’s not just for soldiers, it’s for people living in Ukraine with shelling. It’s what we have to do.

For Olena, it’s important to get to know volunteers, make sure every volunteer is comfortable and feels welcomed and also answer any questions on Ukraine. Along with packing, she’s the photographer for the group and posts plenty of photos, so everyone remembers all the volunteers who have come to help.

“It’s tiring work, but when we are all together it’s like family. We will keep going as needed,” she said.

Neil Gussman, a retired US veteran, commutes from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, leaving around 6:30 a.m. to drive to the New Jersey warehouse several times a week. Gussman, who has no direct ties to Ukraine, walked into Razom’s East Village office soon after russia’s full-scale invasion, and said he wanted to help. Throughout his career, he’d worked in a grocery warehouse, had experience working at a freight terminal, and as a tank commander in the Army moving supplies. He knew he could help Razom’s efforts.

“Ukraine is on the right side. They got invaded for no reason at all,” he said.

Neil, who has documented his volunteer work on his personal blog, keeps all the boxes on the production line full and has memorized where everything is located – “as soon as something gets low, I fill it up,” he said.

He’s enjoyed the camaraderie of working in the warehouse. “I’m going to keep volunteering. If there’s anything else I can do, I’m going to do it,” Neil said. “Making these medical kits, it really makes me happy to do it, so I’ll keep going.”

Julia Contino saw a Razom Instagram post asking for volunteers and she and her husband Joey signed up and started volunteering in April. They’ve been coming once or twice a week ever since working full shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or half shifts from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Joey has become a warehouse coordinator. When Julia’s sister Iryna arrived from Ukraine, she joined in making it a family effort.

“We jump in and pack all the IFAKs. It’s like an assembly line. Once we start, we don’t finish until they are pushing us out and they are closing the warehouse,” Contino said.

Julia moved to the U.S. from Ukraine in 2011 and still has family in Ukraine and friends serving on the frontlines of the war. These days she and her husband carefully plan out their work schedules weeks in advance to make time to volunteer. Together they organized a walkathon to help Ukraine and collected $15,000 in donations for Razom before they started going in to volunteer. They’ve been able to see where the money they raised is going and how it is helping, she said.

Every time Julia is packing she thinks to herself that the next person to open the first aid kit could be a soldier or a wounded person. “Every time you pack it, you put a little bit of your soul into every one of those IFAKs,” she said. As media attention fades around the war, Contino said “we cannot afford to stop, if we stop Ukraine will disappear… we have to keep going. It doesn’t matter how tired we are.”

And it’s not just volunteers coming into the warehouse in New Jersey that support the medical aid efforts. There are two main procurement hubs – one is in Canada managed by Antonina Kumka, and second, on the other side of the country in California’s Bay Area, led by Olena Stadnyuk. They put together lists of the most important supplies, monitor supply levels, connect with big producers for bulk purchases, and procure medical devices including wound VAC machines.

Over the last several months, Olena has navigated supply chain constraints, including tourniquet delays from a large producer and the chip shortage impacting medical devices.

“We spend a lot of time on quality control and only buy special tourniquets from certified well-known providers,” she said. Olena advises anyone sending aid to Ukraine to “Please buy tourniquets which were tested and approved by the Center for Tourniquet Testing like CAT, SAM XT, SOFT or TMT” because untested tourniquets can fail just when they are needed and can cost someone their life. “It is better to buy less or none, than to give someone an illusion of protection only for the tourniquet to lose its grip and for the person to die from massive blood loss” says Stadnyuk.

A medical doctor by training, Olena has been sending medical supplies to Ukraine since 2014 when the war in the Donbas region first began. She uses her medical contacts on the ground in Ukraine to speak with the doctors she trained with to understand their wants and needs.

“Children are continuing to die. Women, men are continuing to die in Ukraine, and it needs to stop. We need everyone’s support to stop it because we cannot do it on our own,” she said.

This work is successful and effective due to the efforts of so many motivated people around the world, that we can’t fit them all into this piece. The scale of this work would not have been possible without your generous donations, large and small, and if you’d like to learn more about and support Razom’s Emergency Response efforts funding medical aid shipments, click here.

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Razom Says Dyakuyu – Thank You – to Humble Bundle

Published: July 7, 2022

We are excited to share with you our series Razom Says Dyakuyu. “Dyakuyu” means “thank you” in Ukrainian. Our work supporting Ukraine and getting humanitarian aid on the ground where it is needed most, would not be possible without the generous donations made by donors. Within this series we will be highlighting some of the thousands of amazing donors and fundraisers that Razom has been very fortunate to gain support of.

Razom for Ukraine was truly honored to be selected as one of the recipients of the Humble Bundle’s “Stand With Ukraine” charity effort and was awarded $5.07 million. It was to-date the largest single donation we have ever received at Razom.

Since russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Razom has been an awe-struck witness of all the different and creative ways businesses have raised and donated funds to support the Ukrainian people. Humble Bundle, a digital storefront for games, e-books, and software, strongly focused on charitable work, joined forces with game creators, publishers, and software makers who donated their items putting together an online “Stand with Ukraine” bundle with 100% of proceeds going to humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

“Like others around the world, we’ve been dismayed by the invasion of Ukraine and the resulting tragedies… together with our industry partners, we were able to bring in over $20 million for Ukraine – the single largest donation we’ve been able to make in our 11-year history. We’re extremely grateful to our community for their care and action in supporting this important cause. Even though it can’t undo the pain and devastation caused by the invasion, the funding will go a very long way in feeding, sheltering, and providing medical care for millions of refugees who have fled Ukraine since the start of the war.” – Kamini Tiwari, VP Social Impact, Humble Bundle shared in a feature article in Forbes.

Humble Bundle introduction to Razom came through one of its co-founders John Graham and his wife Olga. After a quick conversation facilitated by a common friend with one of Razom’s volunteers during the early days of March, they were inspired by Razom’s mission and concrete actions. John and Olga thought of this opportunity to help Razom raise funds and connected the dots with Humble Bundle. John worked tirelessly to enable this bundle on the back end and it certainly delivered most impressive results.

People around the globe purchased the Stand with Ukraine bundle that featured games, including Metro Exodus, developed by 4A Games (which has a studio in Kyiv), books, including Pathfinder 2nd Edition Core Rulebook, and software, including GameMaker Studio 2 Creator.

Humble Bundle’s effort from March 18 to 25 raised over $20.7 million with 473,945 bundles purchased. Razom for Ukraine received a fourth of the funds – equaling over $5M. As Dora Chomiak, Razom President, said: “From all of us at Razom, our wholehearted thank-you goes to Humble Bundle for your so not-humble, but extremely generous, support of our work. Your donation had a major impact enabling us to scale our efforts in providing critical, life-saving aid to the people of Ukraine.”

Thanks to our incredible donors, including the outstanding support of Humble Bundle, Razom for Ukraine:

Shipped hundreds of tons of tactical medical equipment and critical medical supplies to Ukraine:
- Assembled more than 43,000 individual first aid kits (IFAKs) and over 900 medical backpacks.
- Made hundreds of trips carrying tactical medicine cargo (fulfilling over 1000 deliveries) prioritizing hot spot cities and regions where Ukrainians are actively repelling russian invaders.
Evacuated 31 families (totaling over 500 people) with children with special needs to safety.
Partnered with more than 40 organizations on the ground to provide tens of thousands of hot meals, distribute thousands of grocery packages to the elderly and disabled, support families of veterans, renovate homes for displaced families. We have deployed over $1.6M for these programs to date.

Humble Bundle continues supporting Ukraine and Razom through their work contributing a portion of the proceeds from their other bundles.

Razom and all the Ukrainians who have received much-needed help say, “dyakuyu” – Ukrainian for thank you – to Humble Bundle.

Mykola Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital. The prototype of civil society

Published: July 4, 2022

What does it mean to build a civil society? Can Ukraine become a model of new statehood where volunteer initiatives surpass the professionalism and efficiency of foreign organizations and government agencies? In the interview for Razom, co-founder and chairman of the PFVMH Supervisory Board, Gennadiy Druzenko shares his perspective.

Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital, or PFVMH, began to form after an attempt to disperse the Euromaidan in Kyiv by force on November 30, 2013. Volunteers, doctors, and medical professionals set up improvised medical brigades and later formed underground hospitals to help the victims of the Revolution of Dignity. In December 2014, PFVMH started working in the ATO zone. Over the next five years, more than half a thousand volunteers – physicians, paramedics, and support staff – did more than fifty rotations in the ATO area (later the JFO zone). They saved thousands of lives, and people started calling them the Angels in White Coats.

On February 24, 2022, russia launched its infamous and insidious war. Once again, the angels went where people needed them the most. For almost four months now, volunteer doctors, working in difficult frontline conditions and risking their lives, have been providing medical care to the victims: first in Kyiv and Zhytomyr, and since May in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Lending a hand to mobile military hospitals, PFVMH has now set up its evacuation and stabilization points in Chasiv Yar and Sloviansk. Evacuation carriages also reach the Luhansk region near Lysychansk.

Donors and doctors from around the world join the project and help save the lives of military and civilian victims. Medical professionals from Germany, Austria, France, Great Britain, Canada, and the US have come to do the rotations. For example, in May this year, Jennifer Malley, a California emergency nurse, was part of one of the PFVMH crews. She was impressed by the results that Ukrainian doctors achieved with minimal resources and compared russia’s war against Ukraine with the biblical David and Goliath.

From its creation until today, PFVMH has existed exclusively on non-state funds. Since April 2022, Razom for Ukraine has been assisting the hospital with tactical medicine and has provided a grant of $95,000. These funds have already purchased a bus to evacuate the wounded and transport medics and fuel. During the war, the need for mobile equipment is exceptionally high. Right now, PFVMH requires a portable X-ray ($40,000) and armored ambulances.

It is important to understand that Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital is not only about medical care but also the community and the dedication of volunteers who save thousands of people. “This is the prototype of future Ukraine. We owe it to those who gave their lives for it.” – Gennadiy Druzenko

Уроки людяності та успішного громадянського суспільства від ПДМШ ім. Миколи Пирогова

Як виглядає незалежне громадянське суспільство побудоване на принципах самоорганізації, волі та відповідальності? Чи може Україна стати зразком нової державності, де волонтерські ініціативи перевершують професійність та ефективність іноземних організацій чи державних установ? На ці та інші питання в інтервʼю для Razom відповідає Геннадій Друзенко – співзасновник і Голова Наглядової Ради ПДМШ ім. Миколи Пирогова.

Перший добровольчий мобільний шпиталь або ПДМШ почав формуватися ще 30 листопада 2013 року. Тоді, після спроби силового розгону Євромайдану в Києві, було створено імпровізовані медичні бригади, а потім і підпільні шпиталі, які допомагали постраждалим учасникам Революції Гідності. А вже у грудні 2014 року ПДМШ як системний проєкт розпочав свою діяльність в зоні АТО. За наступні пʼять років більше півтисячі добровольців – медиків, парамедиків, допоміжного персоналу – здійснили більше пʼятдесяти ротацій у зоні АТО (пізніше зона ООС). Вони врятували тисячі життів і отримали цілком виправдане звання янголів у білих халатах.

24 лютого 2022 року росія розпочала свою ганебну, підступну війну – і янголи вирушили туди, де їх найбільш потребують. Вже майже чотири місяці медики-добровольці, працюючи у тяжких прифронтових умовах і ризикуючи своїм життям, надають медичну допомогу постраждалим: спочатку у Київській та Житомирській, а від травня – у Донецькій та Луганській областях. Підставивши плече військовим мобільним госпіталям, ПДМШ наразі облаштували власні евакуаційно-стабілізаційні пункти у Часовому Яру та Словʼянську, а евакуаційні екіпажі доїжджають також до Луганщини в районі Лисичанська.

Донори й лікарі з усього світу долучаються до проєкту та допомагають рятувати життя військових і цивільних, постраждалих від війни. На ротаціях вже були лікарі з Німеччини, Австрії, Франції, Великої Британії, Канади та США. Так, наприклад, у травні цього року в складі одного з екіпажів ПДМШ працювала Дженніфер Маллі – медсестра невідкладної допомоги із Каліфорнії. Вона була вражена результатами, яких українські медики досягають маючи мінімальні ресурси, і порівняла війну росії проти України з біблійними Давидом та Голіафом.

Від моменту створення і до сьогодні, ПДМШ існує виключно на недержавні кошти. З квітня 2022 року Razom for Ukraine допомагає шпиталю тактичною медициною та надали грант у розмірі 95 000 доларів США. На ці кошти вже було придбано бус для евакуації поранених та транспортування медиків, а також паливо. Але в умовах війни необхідність у коштах для придбання високотехнологічного мобільного обладнання особливо висока. Наприклад, наразі ПДМШ потребує портативний рентген (40 000 доларів США) та броньовані швидкі.

Сьогодні дуже важливо розуміти, що Перший добровольчий мобільний шпиталь ім. Миколи Пирогова – це не тільки про медичну допомогу, це про спільноту і самовідданість добровольців, які продовжують рятувати тисячі людей. “Це прообраз і паросток майбутньої України, за яку не буде соромно перед тими, хто поклав за неї життя.” – Геннадій Друзенко

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Additional donation options available at www.razomforukraine.org/donate

Razom Honored to Receive 2022 Village Award

Published: June 30, 2022

Razom for Ukraine was honored to be awarded a 2022 Village Award from Village Preservation, a non-profit group that advocates for the preservation of architecture and culture in several Lower Manhattan neighborhoods. The awards honor the people, organizations, and businesses that make the culturally and architecturally historic Greenwich Village, East Village, and NoHo neighborhoods so special.

Dora Chomiak, Razom’s president, accepted the award on behalf of the thousands of volunteers and donors that power Razom. Ukrainians have deep ties to the area with waves of immigrants arriving and settling in the early 1900s and again post-World War II.

“The Village has always been a place where people come together to make art, to make community. And very importantly to take action… This community has come together to deliver food to hundreds of villages across Ukraine,” Chomiak said while accepting the award on Tuesday evening at The Cooper Union’s Great Hall. “Ukrainians have been an integral part of the Village for more than 150 years. We are standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Razom was born in the winter of 2014 during Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in the historic Ukrainian East Village and has called this important New York City neighborhood home ever since. Razom has been bringing together community members for over eight years who care about building a prosperous and free Ukraine.

Since russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Razom has focused its efforts on distributing over $35 million of aid into Ukraine where it is needed most.

Event emcee and artist Penny Arcade said that since russia’s invasion, the entire Village community has been impacted. “I know that all of us who live downtown…felt a really heartfelt attack in ourselves because of our relationship with the Ukrainian community,” she said.

Razom has felt the support of its East Village community from fundraisers and donations to seeing Ukrainian flags flying in the neighborhood.

Razom video presented on the big stage at Cooper Union

“I know it’s hard… there is a fatigue that sets in. But your flags on your fire escapes matter. When we talk with our colleagues and our friends and our cousins…that support is felt. The rallies in the streets, the donations, the time, every single day people express how important it is for them to see that and to feel that when they are in Ukraine,” Chomiak said during her speech. “Freedom is never free, but the price we are paying now is going to be lower than if we do not pay it right now…And this is exactly why Ukraine will win. We need your help to stand with Ukraine, to continue to be part of that community that cares.”

Razom volunteers in the audience cheering on our thanks to the city of New York and New Yorkers

Razom was honored along with our neighbors including Astor Place Hairstylists, Bonsignour, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and Middle Collegiate Church, Pageant Print Shop, Zinc Bar, and Regina Kellerman Award recipient Jane Friedman and Howl! Arts. The Cooper Union co-hosted the event.

Razom is thankful for all the support it has felt in New York City – home to the largest Ukrainian community in the United States.

Razom Says Dyakuyu – Thank You – to the New York Jets

Published: June 20, 2022

This post is part of our series Razom Says “Dyakuyu.” Dyakuyu means “thank you” in Ukrainian. Our work supporting Ukraine and getting humanitarian aid on the ground where it is needed most, would not be possible without the generous donors. We will be highlighting the work, donations, and stories of several individuals and organizations who have agreed to be publicly featured on our website.

Razom for Ukraine was honored to be selected as one of the recipients of the New York Jets donations to aid Ukrainian relief efforts. Razom was awarded $100,000 in May as part of the Jets overall $1 million donation to support Ukraine that will be split among different organizations over the course of this year.

For the well-known National Football League franchise, supporting Ukraine during this brutal war is personal for the Jets owners, the Johnson family. Suzanne Johnson, wife of Jets Chairman Robert Wood Johnson, is Ukrainian-American and grew up in a Ukrainian neighborhood in New York.

Mrs. Johnson’s family story echoes that of thousands of Ukrainians who now proudly call the United States their home. Mrs. Johnson’s mother, Marie, was born to Ukrainian immigrant parents and her father, Stefan Ircha, immigrated all by himself to the United States from the western city of Ternopil at the age of 21 following World War II.

“He came to this country for opportunity after the war. He went through Red Cross, then to a local Ukrainian church that aided him in getting an apartment and brought him into the community,” Mrs. Johnson told the New York Post. “He met my mother [Marie] at a Ukrainian dance, got married and had their family. When I grew up, I grew up in a very solid Ukrainian community.

Mrs. Johnson was introduced to Razom through shared connections in the Ukrainian-American community. She said it was important for her to help provide aid and bring awareness to the war.

“The money, they’re going to need for a long time for rebuilding and for the aid. It’s going to be there. So I just hope we could start something going. The world has been quite generous and I just hope it continues to be that way,” Mrs. Johnson told the Associated Press in April when the donation effort kicked off.

The Jets donation went to support Razom’s Emergency Response efforts.

“These donations will positively impact Ukrainian refugees and their families with essential supplies,” said New York Jets Chairman Robert Wood Johnson. “The need for resources is continuously growing. Our thoughts continue to be with the innocent lives who have been affected and all those who are suffering.”

Additionally, the Jets have offered to take a group of displaced Ukrainian families from the tristate area to a football game in August, giving them VIP treatment and the opportunity to experience an American football game.

Along with the donation to Razom, the Jets are matching all medical supplies donations given by their staff. The Jets have also supported friends of Razom including Plast Scouting – USA and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) as part of their donation efforts.

Razom and all the people who we’ve been able to support on the ground in Ukraine during the war say, “dyakuyu,” to the New York Jets.

Statement from Razom Advocacy Team on 100 Days of the Invasion

Published: June 3, 2022

On February 24 at around 5:00 a.m. Kyiv time, Russia began to invade Ukraine on multiple fronts. Most intelligence estimates at the time claimed that Kyiv would fall in 96 hours. Experts openly speculated about the future of Ukraine as a country.

June 3rd marks the 100th day of war. In that time, Ukraine has been able to hold on, winning the Battle of Kyiv, performing above expectations in other areas of combat and retaining its sovereignty.

Despite these successes, it would be foolish to celebrate the milestone of 100 days of war.

For the people of Ukraine, these past hundred days have been filled with suffering with no end in sight. Analysts are uncertain of where the war will go next. The news out of the Donbas region, where fighting remains intense, is incredibly grim. Russia continues to occupy much of Southern Ukraine. The Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea has taken the world hostage in hunger. The stories emerging from settlements liberated from Russian control by Ukrainian armed forces are horrific; the very names Bucha and Irpin have already become synonymous with mass death and destruction. Recent reports have stated that Russia is committing genocide against the people of Ukraine. It is not clear what the next hundred days will bring, but the only certainty is that the unjust suffering of the Ukrainian people will continue.

In these past 100 days, the United States has stepped up its support for its fellow democratic nation. It has sent financial aid and provided Ukraine with weapons to defend itself, most recently HIMARS systems. Along with government assistance, individuals have come together to assist Ukrainians through the war. In the early days of war, Americans rented out AirBNBs from Ukrainian hosts in order to provide them with some quick cash. A fundraiser in Louisiana raised over $8000, allowing for residents of a nursing home in the Donbas to be evacuated to safety. At Razom, we have raised money from childrens’ lemonade stands and tattoo parlors, from unique menu items at restaurants to Ukrainian dance classes. We have used the proceeds to purchase medical supplies, assist in evacuations, support local partners, and otherwise provide help.

The war is not yet over, however. Neither should our support for Ukraine be.

In the next 100 days, we as ordinary Americans can and should continue to provide assistance. We can continue to hold fundraisers or support already existing ones to help financially. We can call our representatives on Capitol Hill when there is legislation on Ukraine, letting them know that the will of the American people is to continue standing with Ukraine. We can refuse to give into the narrative of appeasement that has appeared in some publications, and instead listen to the voices of Ukrainians. Most importantly, we cannot allow for fatigue at the news to set in. The Ukrainians currently suffering in their country do not have a choice to turn off the TV or focus on anything else. We can share information about what is going on and continue keeping the narrative with them.

The people of Ukraine are refusing to give up the fight for their existence. The least we can do is refuse to give up on them.

Sources

Written by Razom volunteer Allegra Hill

Leaders of Different Ethnic Organizations in the U.S. Unite in Support of Ukraine

Published: May 11, 2022

(Originally published by Voice of America) // (Опубліковано в «Голосі Америки»)

Representatives of different U.S.-based ethnic organizations call on Congress to support additional financial aid to Ukraine, in the form of the 33 billion dollar emergency supplemental request announced by President Joe Biden on April 28, 2022. A corresponding call to action was made by activists during a press conference in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 5, 2022.

The organizers of the event were local Ukrainian-American community organizations Razom for Ukraine and United Help Ukraine. Other US ethnic, religious, and human rights associations participated in the press conference. In particular, leaders of Polish, Baltic, Syrian, Afghan, and religious organizations were present.

“We, Poles and Polish-Americans, know very well the horrors of war–we’ve lived through this ourselves. And we also understand that the Ukrainians’ fight today is not only about their fight for their own country and their own freedom and sovereignty–which is very important–but also the fight for the freedom of all of Europe,” said Klara Wiśniewska, the spokeswoman for the Polish American Congress, in an interview with the Voice of America correspondent. She added “I am very happy to report that our organization has collected a quarter of a million dollars for displaced Ukrainians.”

Klara Wiśniewska, the spokeswoman for the Polish American Congress

According to the activists, most of the ethnic groups represented were forced to flee dictatorship and war in their own countries one time or another, so today they would like to unite in support of Ukraine.

“The Syrian community, Muslim community, and all beleivers are with you. This is a “just war” – you are defending your country and your dignity. I’ve been to Lviv twice since the war began. Together with a team of doctors from my organization MedGlobal, we trained doctors and nurses in Ukraine. When Ukrainian doctors, officers, and representatives of the Ministry of Health learned that I had delivered medical aid in Syria, above all else they asked for us to prepare them for the probable use of chemical weapons,” commented Dr. Zaher Sahloul, representative of the American Coalition of Syria and President of MedGlobal (an international non-profit organization that provides medical services to the world’s most vulnerable groups).

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, representative of the American Coalition of Syria and President of MedGlobal

During the press conference, organizers of the event announced the creation of an “American Coalition in Support of Ukraine,” which would unite different community groups in the U.S. Additionally, they announced the opening of Razom for Ukraine’s representative office in Washington, D.C.
“We have daily meetings with representatives, with politicians, so now we have official representation here in Washington – this is our first piece of news. The second – the creation of an American coalition in support of Ukraine. We want to unite all these people, communities, organizations, and institutions which already support Ukraine – so that we can cooperate together and have coordinated messaging, so that we can utilize all our channels to further the support of Ukraine,” announced Maryna Prykhodko, a Razom for Ukraine board member.

Представники різних етнічних груп, які проживають у Сполучених Штатах закликають Конгрес підтримати додаткову фінансову допомогу Україні, у розмірі 33 мільярдів доларів анонсовано президентом Джо Байденом 28-го квітня 2022. Відповідну заяву, активісти зробили в четвер 5-го травня під час акції навпроти Білого Дому, у Вашингтоні.

Організаторами події виступили місцеві американсько-українські громадські організації Razom for Ukraine та United Help Ukraine. До заяви також долучились етнічні, релігійні та правозахисні спільноти в США. Зокрема лідери польських, балтійських, сирійських, афганських та релігійних об’єднань.

“Ми, поляки та американські поляки, дуже добре знаємо жахи війни, ми самі це пережили. І ми також розуміємо, що нинішня боротьба українців – це не лише боротьба за свою країну за свою свободу та суверенітет, що дуже важливо, але це також боротьба за свободу усієї Європи, – розповідає кореспондентці Голосу Америки Клара Вишневська, представниця Польсько-американського конгресу у США і також додає, – Я рада повідомити, що наша організація зібрала чверть мільйона доларів для українських переселенців”.

За словами активістів, більшість етнічних груп у США були змушені тікати від диктатури, та війни у власних державах, тому сьогодні вони хочуть об’єднатись на підтримку України.

“Сирійська громада, мусульманська громада та усі віруючі люди – з вами. Це “справедлива війна”, – ви захищаєте свою країну і свою гідність. Я був у Львові двічі від початку війни. Разом із командою лікарів моєї організації MedGlobal ми навчали лікарів та медсестер в Україні. Коли українські лікарі, офіцери та представники Міністерства охорони здоров’я дізнались, що я надавав медичну допомогу в Сирії, вони зокрема просили підготувати їх до ймовірного застосування хімічної зброї”, – коментує Голосу Америки доктор Захер Салул, представник американської коаліції Сирії та президент медичної організації MedGlobal (міжнародна некомерційної організації, яка надає медичні послуги найбільш уразливим групам населення світу)

Під час акції організатори події оголосили про створення “Американської коаліції на підтримку України”, яка об’єднає різні національні групи в США. А також повідомили про відкриття представництва “Razom for Ukraine” у столиці США, Вашингтоні.”Ми маємо щоденні зустрічі із представниками, із політиками тож тепер ми маємо офіційне представництво тут, у Вашингтоні, – це наша перша новина і друга це – створення американської коаліції на підтримку України. Ми хочемо б’єднати усіх цих людей, громади, організації, інституції, які вже й так підтримують Україну. Для того, щоб ми спільно співпрацювали і мали однакові меседжі, щоб ми використовували усі наші канали для подальшої підтримки України”, – повідомила Голосу Америки Марина Приходько, членкиня ради директорів ГО Razom For Ukraine.

Maryna Baydyuk, Assistant Research Professor at Huang Lab; Assistant Research Professor at Georgetown University

Дивіться сюжет Голос америки тут/Watch the news piece from Voice of America here: https://youtu.be/M9X9a-LPxLY?t=518

Дивіться прес конференцію тут/Watch the full press conference here: https://fb.watch/cRcxSAbX7t/

Спільну заяву читайте тут/Read the joint statement here: https://razomforukraine.org/joint-statement-on-inter-community-support-for-ukraine

Дивіться сюжет американського каналу Фокц про прес конференцію тут/Watch the Fox news piece on the press conference here: https://video.foxnews.com/v/6305792045112/

Emergency Supplemental for Ukraine

Published: May 10, 2022

What is an Emergency Supplemental and Why Does Ukraine Need One?

War is expensive. Winning a war is even more expensive. We want Ukraine to prevail in this war, and Ukraine needs our help to do this.

The U.S. Congress and Administration have passed several large, historic, and bipartisan financial aid packages for Ukraine in the last two months. Among them: $3.5 billion in drawdown authority, $1.7 billion to ensure continuity of Ukraine’s democratic operations, and $650 million in military assistance to Ukraine.

However, this is not enough for Ukraine to sustain itself in total war. Ukraine needs security and economic assistance to defeat russian aggression and provide basic commodities to people impacted by the war and russia’s incessant attacks on civilian areas.

As President Joe Biden announced in his May 9 statement, shortly after signing the groundbreaking Lend Lease Act for Ukraine, “I have nearly exhausted the resources given to me by a bipartisan majority in Congress to support Ukraine’s fighters. This aid has been critical to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield.”

The U.S. Congress is responsible for approving the spending of the U.S. Government, and the U.S. Administration may ask for additional money beyond approved budgets and spending schedules when the need for funds is too urgent to be postponed until the next regular annual appropriations act.

In light of this, U.S. President Joe Biden has requested the U.S. Congress to promptly pass the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act in the amount of $39 billion. This Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act is an emergency supplemental budget; many similar bills have been proposed and passed before, providing necessary funding for U.S. initiatives, both domestic and international.

In order to keep Ukraine in the fight for democracy and freedom, Ukraine needs about $10 billion a year in assistance from its strategic partners, according to conservative estimates. However, a $39 billion supplemental budget for Ukraine would be a gamechanger, and, according to President Biden’s May 9 statement, the amount includes “military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine,” adding that “the plan was substantial in size, because the need is substantial: we must stand by Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression.”

But there’s also good news on the horizon. On May 10, the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act passed the House. The next step is to have the Senate pass the bill.

What can you do to help the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act pass?

First, find your Senators. It is important that Senators hear from their constituents – the people that they represent, so please enter the zip code where you’re registered to vote.

Second, call your Senator. Yes, calling is important. Someone from the Senator’s office may pick up and write down your message, or you may have to leave a voice message. This is normal and part of the process. Click here for more detailed instructions and a sample text.

Third, in your message to your Senator, state your name and your zip code. Thank your Senator for their continued support of Ukraine and convey that their support of Ukraine is of utmost importance to you. Feel free to list a few reasons why you support Ukraine, i.e. you’re a Ukrainian-American, you believe in Ukraine’s fight for freedom and against tyranny, or you know someone currently in Ukraine who is affected by the war.

Fourth, urge your Senator to do everything they can to pass the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act as soon as possible.

That’s it! Thank you for being an advocate for Ukraine and using your democratic right to voice your concerns and priorities to the U.S. Government to help save lives and defend democracy.

Newsletter #13: Our commitment is unwavering – Razom’s latest updates

Published: April 29, 2022

Razom’s commitment to delivering life-saving aid into the right hands in Ukraine is unwavering. In this newsletter you’ll find the latest about that work, as well as about the diverse collection of events happening all over the world to get yourself involved in helping Ukraine.

Dear Razom community,

Your donations coupled with the volunteers who work every single day, including weekends and evenings, to drive impact as fast as humanly possible, make a difference. Remember this, because Ukraine still needs you.

Below is a snapshot of some of the work we’ve been able to accomplish lately, by no means is this an exhaustive list:

Partners for World Health and Razom Hospitals team applied and received a UPS air shipping grant that was used to ship 42 pallets of medical supplies and equipment that will be received by our on the ground partners in Ukraine, Zdorovi. This shipment included an AED machine, Autoclave, Anesthesia GE Datex Ohmeda Machine, Crash Cart, Portable Ultrasound, and Patient Monitor, amongst other supplies.
Razom has an unofficial branch in Canada thanks to a group of incredible volunteers. To date, 76 pallets of medical supplies have been shipped from therethat include tourniquets, hermostatic bandages, splints, portable ultrasound machines, and so much more. Big thanks go out to Meditek Canada, Hamilton Health Sciences and a number of private clinics, who made large in-kind donations to Razom.
MD Luke Tomycz, Neurosurgeon and co-founder of Razom’s The CoPilot Project spearheaded an effort with the Razom Hospitals team to send 2 pallets of critical neurosurgical supplies to Ukraine. We partnered with international NGO CMMB to procure neuro supplies from Integra. We also helped procure epilepsy medication that has been distributed to displaced children from Donestk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions currently in Dnipro.
Cabinet Health, a company that provides plastic-free packaging for everyday over-the-counter medicines, has generously donated 8 pallets of necessary OTC medications to the Razom Hospitals team. We are grateful for our partnership with Kyiv Alliance and Help Heroes of Ukraine who transported these pallets from Tennessee to New York.
Razom Hospitals team is also helping to address sexual violence and abuse in Ukraine. In cooperation with Leda Health, we are sending 500 forensic rape kits to support justice for the victims of sexual violence in Ukraine.
To date, Razom has delivered over 4,000 walkie-talkies, 700 civilian drones, 250 satellite phones, and 200 tablets to territorial defense units, rescuers, paramedics, and volunteers in Ukraine to help deliver humanitarian aid safely and effectively and provide rescue support.

donate with credit card

donate with paypal

Razom has partnered up with Nova Ukraine and United Help Ukraine to collectively raise $20,000 to purchase 300 Starlink kits and distribute them across Ukraine.

101 cities currently don’t have internet because russian missiles and army have destroyed or severely damaged infrastructure. Ukrainians need stable connectivity to keep a lifeline to their loved ones and manage their daily lives – work remotely, pay bills, receive medical care, etc.

Please do your part in connectivity enablement in Ukraine by contributing to this specific project here.

People around the world continue to be inspired by the perseverance and creativity of brave Ukraine and are coming together to do what they can to help. Below is a roundup of events that fundraise for specific causes for Ukraine or expose you to amazing Ukrainian art and culture.

In New York:

Tonight and tomorrow (4/29 and 4/30) from 7-9pm, Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn will run a tribute to Ukrainian music and culture, providing a platform for over 20 artists to react to today’s events from multiple perspectives and provide a fresh look at Ukraine’s musical roots and identity.
Tonight, 4/29 at 7pm and 9:30pm join us at the documentary film screening of The Will To See, and engage in conversation with filmmaker Bernard-Henri Levy at Quad Cinema benefiting Razom.
On Saturday, 4/30 at 5pm at the Tribeca Film Center / Tribeca Screening room,the Directors Guild of Ukraine and New York film club Kinovino are organizing the fundraising film screening of Ukrainian documentary Enticing, Sugary, Boundless or Songs and Dances about Death. A Q&A with the film’s director Tania Khodakivska will follow.
On Saturday, 4/30 from 2pm – 9:15pm The Otto’s Benefit for Ukraine at Otto’s Shrunken Head in NYC will have a lineup of singer songwriters and bands with all proceeds from the concert going to Razom.
On Saturday, 4/30 from 3:30-7:30pm the Hudson Valley Relief Benefit will feature guest speakers, music, food, and a silent auction. Get you tickets and join Novellas Restaurant in New Paltz, NY to support Razom’s Emergency Response project!
On Sunday, May 1 at 11am Chobani SoHo Cafe and Razom are collaborating on a fundraising event. Stop by and try some special creations off the menu and help Ukraine.
On Tuesday, May 3 at 7pm the Church Street School for Music and Art in NYC will host a Concert For Ukraine featuring violinist Nadia Khodakovska and members of CSSMA faculty. All proceeds will go to Razom. To reserve tickets email tobywine@churchstreetschool.org.
On Saturday, May 7 Gold’s Gym in Poughkeepsie, NY is hosting the 8th Annual Peace and Harmony Invitational with all proceeds benefiting Ukraine.
On Friday, May 20 and Sunday, May 22 at the Ukrainian Museum, Director and Producer Andrea Odezynska debuts her new feature-length environmental documentary, Return Sasyk to the Sea, which spotlights the destructive legacy Ukraine inherited as a former member of the Soviet Union.

Online:

On Saturday, April 30 at 10-11:30am Pacific time Barnsdall Arts is hosting a Ukrainian Art Workshop via Zoom to learn about Petrykivka painting. All proceeds go to Razom.
On Saturday, April 30 at 1pm EDT, Weave A Real Peace (WARP) will host Ukrainian textile artists Halyna Shepko (New York), Daryna Alieksieienko (Kyiv), Andriy Pyshkar (Ternopil), and Yaroslava Tkachuk (Lviv) for a discussion about their work within the Ukrainian weaving traditions. Continuing Textile Traditions: Ukraine is a special program (online) to raise relief funds for Razom.
On May 17 DevOpsDays Ukraine (part of the global DevOpsDays family) is hosting a virtual conference benefiting Razom to to discuss DevOps during crisis, incident, and business continuity management and share Ukrainian DevOps expertise.

In New Jersey: On Sunday, May 1 at 2pm EDT the Ukrainian American Business and Professionals Association and artist Dianna Derhak will host Sunflowers for Ukraine – Paint Sunday Fundraiser with all proceeds going to support the Ukrainian Documentary Film Project about the current war.

In Wisconsin:On Sunday, April 30 from 10am-3pm, DeBerge’s Framing and Gallery in Kenosha, WI will host an open house selling ribbon embroidery art by Slava Buchkovich and t-shirts designed by Annya Knautz, with some of the proceeds benefiting Razom.

In North Carolina: On Sunday, May 1, 7-9pm EDT the Arts Center of Carrboro, NC will host an Evening of Bold Stories to support Ukrainian refugees.

In Michigan: On Friday, May 6from 7-10pm the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts in Manistee, MI will be hosting a concert to benefit relief efforts through Razom. More info here.

In Texas: Over the weekend of May 13th, Art of Peace, a group of Houstonians collaborating to help Ukrainian people, is hosting an art exhibition featuring 30 local artists with part of the proceeds benefiting Razom.

In Connecticut: On May 21, a local group of runners in Cheshire, CT are hosting a 5K run/walk in their town to fundraise for Razom. Learn more info on how to join them or contribute to their GoFundMe page go here.

In Copenhagen: On May 5, the Academic Council of Eastern European Studies will host an all-day conference at the University of Copenhagen – Østeuropastudiers Ukrainefestival.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and continue to #StandWithUkraine.

Stay Razom.