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.
“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.
Last week we got to channel some of our massive gratitude. For the first time ever, the Ukrainian community was invited to participate in the 37th Annual Immigrants Parade in NYC this past Saturday. In the spirit of unity, Ukrainians showed up to hold signs thanking our fellow immigrants for the solidarity of their countries with Ukraine. This unity must remain at the center of our actions, and your support means more than you know! Thank you for continuing to show up for, and support, Ukraine.
Dear Razom community,
Sometimes it feels like we don’t say “thank you!” enough simply because we can’t get to sending a receipt of your donation fast enough. But please know that we see you and we are immensely grateful for your support, allowing us to continue to focus on making maximum impact in saving lives in Ukraine. Here’s the work we’ve been up to since last week:
Razom and SMART Medical Aid made their second stop on the “Let’s start our hearts together” campaign this time in Dnipro. We conducted another free CPR training in downtown,and installed three more automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) across the most crowded areas of the city.
Our volunteer activity at the NJ warehouse was at its peak last week after we had to take a short break in sorting and packing due to a shortage of tourniquets on the market. Maintaining high quality of the supplies we procure and/or deliver to Ukraine is one of our top priorities as it can be the difference between losing and saving a life. If you know some Ukrainian, you can hear a first hand account here of a tourniquet in an IFAK packed by our amazing volunteers saving a life.
Some updates from our Hospitals Team who coordinates and manages the shipment of our in-kind donations, which continue to come in steadily from our amazing community of individual donors and partnering organizations:
The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) has donated 8 pallets of medications to our partners Zdorovi and Patients of Ukraine, the shipment is already on its way.
Our warehouse team in Ukraine received yet another generous donation from Americares that included medications for rare diseases and other urgent medical supplies that we’ve delivered to hospitals in eastern Ukraine.
In partnership with SMART Medical Aid, we procured, delivered and distributed medical equipment like a C-Arm X-Ray Machine and Anesthesia Machine for hospitals in Ukraine.
Remember that sea container we shipped in early-April of FIGS Scrubs and durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs and walkers) from University of Massachusetts Medical Center and the Elmhurst/Coney Island Hospital? Well it arrived in Ukraine this week! Our partners Zdorovi are coordinating the distribution of these supplies to hospitals need across Ukraine.
Last week our volunteers sorted for shipment 2 pallets-worth of medical supplies donated by various private individuals to Ukraine. Some of the supplies included 3 boxes of ophthalmology medications and supplies that we’ll be delivering to EyeCare for Ukraine.
Make sure you don’t miss reading the heartfelt letter of gratitude we received from a Lviv Clinical Hospital of Emergency and Intensive Care after our donation last week. It underlines how important it is to support Ukrainian healthcare system and infrastructure right now.
The Razom Grant team continues to vet grassroots initiatives in Ukraine that are responding quickly to the needs of civilians and IDPs in Ukraine, and awarding grants to further and accelerate their work. Below is a spotlight of one of those groups:
The “First Ukrainian Association of Chefs” was awarded $30,000 towards uniting Kharkiv kitchens and volunteers to deliver ready-made meals to people in shelters, Kharkiv subway stations, remote areas, and small villages in the Kharkiv region. Well-known chef and the founder of the First Ukrainian Association of Chefs, Oleksiy Latkin, was forced to move with his family from Kharkiv to Chernivtsi. His thoughts remained with those who were less fortunate and couldn’t leave, so Oleksiy started to procure and deliver groceries for Kharkiv residents and distribute them with the help of his friends and fellow chefs.
Razom’s grant enabled the team to deliver around 9800 hot dinners and 4285 food packages to the most vulnerable populations of Kharkiv. Everyday volunteers worked around the clock to deliver 500 to 900 hot meals to subway stations, shelters, and Kharkiv districts that suffered from the enemy’s bombardments. Food packages were provided to people in Rogan, Pivnichna Saltivka, Kholodna Gora, Zhukovsky, and other areas most affected by the war.
Razom continues to support the First Ukrainian Association of Chiefs and has recently provided a second grant that will help Kharkiv residents.
Razom’s Advocacy team will host Twitter spaces every Friday at 1:00 pm EST where you can learn about what’s been done to support Ukraine through this brutal invasion and war, and what everyone can do next. Catch last week’s recording of Ukrainian Days in D.C. Twitter Space here! A quick recap:
Over a 2-day period, the Razom team split up to meet with over 20 Congressional Offices across both parties.
In those meetings they asked for the following:
That russia be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism
Increased sanctions on russian banks
Provide longer range artillery to save lives
Stop illegal child deportations
Increase USAID funding to Ukrainian organizations
If you or Ukrainians you know require help inside the tristate area after recently traveling to the U.S. from Ukraine, please share info about Razom’s next immigration clinic, sponsored by the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG):
Наступна імміграційна клініка (консультація) із питань ТПС (temporary protected status): https://forms.gle/i8KbhdEaouicp3gE6 Безкоштовна допомога і наші партнери спонсорують реєстраційні збори. Четвер, 16 ЧЕРВНЯ 2022, початок о 09-00 ранку Подія проходитиме у приміщенні Церкви Корнерстоун. Місце: 59 Cooper Square, Lower Level, New York, NY 10003 (біля Astor Place в Українському Селі)
The East Village in New York City is where Razom was born back in 2014 and even though today our community spans the globe, and our work several countries, the Ukrainian Village will always be our home. So it is a great honor to be a part of the 2022 Annual Meeting and Village Awards hosted by Village Preservation and The Cooper Union TODAY at 6pm at the historic Great Hall.
Village Preservation is celebrating its work over the past year to protect the architectural and cultural heritage of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo and their event will also honor the diverse people, businesses, and organizations that help to make those neighborhoods so special. Razom is being honored along with some other neighborhood institutions. Please join us to pre-register for the event and celebration here.
Below is a roundup of events (info panels, concerts, film screenings, gallery shows, and other fun/informative community gatherings) we most recommend you check out. Engage with brilliant voices from Ukraine and find exciting ways to support fundraising efforts.
Until June 23rd, Gallery Arte Azulejoin partnership with Mila Rabij Arts Consulting to presentYana Bystrova: Approaching a Chaotic Reality. Currently based in Paris, Bystrova is from Kyiv and is a third generation artist in her family. Her work has evolved from figurative to abstract and hybrid forms of expression, with a strong conceptual emphasis on color, the ambiguity of perception, and interpretation.
In Virginia: On June 24from 6-19pm the Beach Gallery in Virginia Beach is hostinga Hope for Ukraine Art Show & Silent Auction with all proceeds going to either Razom or the World Central Kitchen.
In Ohio:
On Saturday, June 25 at 7pmthe Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America will perform “Amplify The Voice: A Benefit Concert For Ukraine” at the Cleveland Orchestra with ticket proceeds benefiting Razom.
In Pennsylvania: On Sunday, June 26 from 6:30-8pm the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community is hosting a concert at Carnegie Carnegie Music Hall to raise funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine (including Razom’s work).
Online/virtually: FairTrade Caravans is hosting a fundraising event to benefit Razom for the month of June. Their unique fair trade products are made or grown with: no child labor, fair pay, safe working conditions, and sustainable practices.
Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, for keeping up to date with Razom, and for your support of Ukraine. We’re so glad to be on this journey together.
Humanitarian, Philanthropist and Activist, former Second Lady Tipper Gore has donated a total of $1 million to the Ukrainian-American nonprofit, Razom for Ukraine. The funds are being used to provide immediate humanitarian aid to Ukrainians on the ground. The former Second Lady has long been involved in disaster relief efforts across the globe and is now working with Razom to ensure that Ukrainians receive critically-needed aid and supplies.
“Razom’s mission, to save lives and support on-the-ground efforts in Ukraine, is as vital as it is awe-inspiring.”
Tipper Gore
Razom for Ukraine mobilized its emergency response project to deliver vital humanitarian aid, including medical and hospital supplies since the Russian invasion began. This outreach has allowed Razom to build and deepen relationships with other nonprofit organizations in local hotspots, to coordinate the collection of donations, aggregate medical supplies, and deliver trainings to Ukrainian physicians. Tipper Gore’s donation will help Razom’s efforts to provide Ukraine with life-saving aid and resources.
“Razom’s mission, to save lives and support on-the-ground efforts in Ukraine, is as vital as it is awe-inspiring. Philanthropic support allows Razom to significantly expand its capabilities and scale its efforts as Russia’s unjustified, egregious attack rages on. I am proud to share that I am supporting Razom’s efforts in Ukraine, in the hope that it encourages others to do the same. As someone who has seen the effects of war firsthand in Zaire, I understand how critical Razom’s work is both now, and going forward. In this fight, the Ukrainian people have been a beacon of democracy for those who value their freedom from tyranny. The Russian invasion must be stopped to avoid pain for years and generations to come,” said Gore.
The first $900,000 of her contribution is being used to send direct aid to Ukraine, while the remaining $100,000 contribution is going toward expanding capacity.
Donations like Gore’s have allowed Razom to invest over $32.7M into the nonprofit’s emergency response efforts:
$19M went toward delivering life-saving tactical medicine and medical supplies to territorial defense units, hospitals, and field hospitals, all in active combat zones across Ukraine.
$9.9M went toward providing non-medical humanitarian aid such as communications resources that help ensure safe and effective delivery of aid
$1.7M went toward funding grants issued by Razom to organizations and initiatives that help civilians in combat zones and/or internally displaced persons
$1.1M went toward carrying out Razom’s logistic chain
$591K went toward procuring vehicles to deliver aid and help evacuate children, families, and wounded persons
$84K went toward aiding Razom’s advocacy work
“We are deeply honored to receive support from someone with such a textured history of advocacy, compassion, and philanthropy as Tipper Gore. Any and all contributions enable us to remain resolute in our mission to build a free and prosperous Ukraine. As such, we are immensely grateful to the former Second Lady for her generous contribution, one which I hope will inspire others to support our mission,” said Dora Chomiak, President of Razom. “Every cent given to us supports our emergency response and advocacy efforts, which embody a singular purpose right now: to save lives in Ukraine.”
Razom has directed most of its efforts to delivering critical humanitarian aid on the ground in Ukraine. Razom will continue its mission of building a free, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine and amplifying Ukrainian voices.
On Saturday June 4th, we shipped and fulfilled our 1,000th order of supplies for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Territorial Defense units, and local hospitals in eastern Ukraine! That included coordination with thousands of people across Ukraine, and crossing hundreds of thousands of kilometers to get life-saving supplies in the right hands. Your donations, your connections, your spreading the word, your support made all of this possible. We can’t thank you enough, and we humbly continue to ask for your support.
Dear Razom community,
Thank you to all of those who’ve responded to our call to spotlight the 100 stories for 100 days of war (and counting). We remain committed to sharing the stories of Ukrainians and the people and communities supporting Ukrainians, so keep them coming. In the meantime, here’s Razom’s story:
As part of the “Let’s start our hears together” campaign launched in Lviv last week, 68 AEDs valued at $81,192 are being installed across Ukraine. 33 defibrillators already made it to medical units and field hospitals on the front.
Razom’s ever-resourceful TacMed team has managed to procure 1,000 iTClamps, an innovative blood stopping tool invented by a Canadian military doctor, that are already on their way and highly anticipated by combat doctors in Ukraine. Procuring and delivering quality tactical medicine supplies is the difference between life and death in extreme, emergency situations.
Razom helped deliver 65 Starlinks to Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donestk regions so far. These devices allow our defenders and emergency responders to coordinate and communicate more reliably, and from time to time call their mothers.
In partnership with Smart Medical Aid, Razom helped procure, outfit, and deliver yet another ambulance to the front of the war. You should know that on the photo below one of the medics pictured is a doctor from New Zealand who was inspired to help how she could after the invasion.
Razom partnered with the Ukraine Prosthetic Assistance Project to develop and disseminate a brochure that answers questionsabout available prostheticsand rehabilitation in Ukraine, as well as recommendations for victims and specialists. It’s estimated that hundreds of civilians and military personnel in Ukraine have suffered limb loss since the invasion. We are proud to provide logistical support in the delivery of cutting-edge tech prosthetic components donated by Ossur in partnership with Prosthetika that will help over a dozen people who’ve lost limbs in Ukraine.
Razom’s Hospitals Team secured a shipment of 8,000 IFAKs for Ukraine by partnering with Direct Relief who donated these supplies, with more to still to come!
Thanks to Integra Foundation’s donation of 2 pallets-worth of wound care, neurosurgery, neurotrauma, and neuromonitoring supplies, Razom was able to successfully distribute much needed medical equipment across different hospitals in Ukraine (ranging from military to children’s).
The long-awaited 27-pallets of medical supplies donated by our partner MedShare finally made it to Razom in Ukraine! Thanks to MedShare’s partner Airlink, a rapid-response humanitarian relief organization that connects airlines and pre-qualified nonprofits to help communities in crisis, the entire logistics leg from California to Lviv was free.
This week, Razom Board Member Maryna Prykhodko was in her hometown of Kharkiv, Ukraine and joined one of Razom’s grant recipients, Ukrainian Charity Alliance, on a trip to deliver humanitarian aid to elderly and disabled persons living just 10 km from the border with russia in the community around the town of Zolochiv and the surrounding smaller villages who were under russian occupation for three months. The community is in great need of assistance, especially the vulnerable populations.
Maryna helped hand-deliver bags of produce and goods along with Oleksii Kurtsev of Ukrainian Charity Alliance and a social worker and deputy of the community’s office. The group also visited the Zolochiv Hospital, which is under fire every day, and the Skovoroda Museum in nearby Skovorodynivka, which was destroyed by russian rocket fire. Everyone Maryna met and spoke with was so grateful for Razom’s support and Razom is so grateful for the devoted and committed work of our grant recipients who are making a positive impact on the ground in Ukraine.
A piece of good news – Razom and the Dity My Vsygnemo (“Children We Will Make It”) social movement for children with SMA (and Razom partner) conducted their first “reverse” evacuation since the start of the war. We helped a wonderful Ukrainian family, who was evacuated a few months ago, return home from abroad to Zhytomyr. This means that Ukrainians know that our victory is not far away.
Below is a roundup of events (concerts, film screenings, gallery shows, and other fun community gatherings) we most recommend you check out. Engage with brilliant voices from Ukraine and find exciting ways to support fundraising efforts. We extend our gratitude to the communities in nearly every corner of the U.S. organizing to support Ukraine in the ways they’re able.
In New York:
On Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 at 7pm 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. 6/10 tickets here and 6/11 here (all proceeds go to Razom).
Marci Shore, a scholar of intellectual history and a Guggenheim Fellow, will moderate the Q&A after the screening on Friday 6/10.
Starting Friday, June 10 at 6pm the online virtual screening of feature documentary “A RISING FURY” about the war in Ukraine is set for a World Premiere with the Tribeca Film Festival. The team has been filming over the past 8 years from the peaceful protest in Kyiv in 2013 to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Until June 23rd, Gallery Arte Azulejoin partnership with Mila Rabij Arts Consulting to presentYana Bystrova: Approaching a Chaotic Reality. Currently based in Paris, Bystrova is from Kyiv and is a third generation artist in her family. Her work has evolved from figurative to abstract and hybrid forms of expression, with a strong conceptual emphasis on color, the ambiguity of perception, and interpretation.
In New Jersey: On Friday, June 10 at 7pm come experience Ukrainian art with Razom featuring music and art for sale.
In Wisconsin: On Sunday, June 12 at 3pm the Olympia Brown UU Church in Racine will host a concert with music, dance, and stories to benefit Ukraine.
In Virginia: On June 24from 6-19pm the Beach Gallery in Virginia Beach is hostinga Hope for Ukraine Art Show & Silent Auction with all proceeds going to either Razom or the World Central Kitchen.
In Ohio:
On Saturday, June 25 at 7pmthe Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America will perform “Amplify The Voice: A Benefit Concert For Ukraine” at the Cleveland Orchestra with ticket proceeds benefiting Razom.
In Pennsylvania: On Sunday, June 26 from 6:30-8pm the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community is hosting a concert at Carnegie Carnegie Music Hall to raise funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine (including Razom’s work).
Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, for keeping up to date with Razom, and for your support of Ukraine. We’re so glad to be on this journey together.
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.
We are back! This week will be 100 days since the invasion, that has felt like it’s been 100 years. So let’s gear up for the next 100 days together. Moving forward, our weekly newsletter will land in your inbox every Tuesday morning updating you on Razom’s work and impact and sharing ways you can support Ukraine. Now is the time to double down on those efforts.
Dear Razom community,
As we take stock of the last 100 days of war in Ukraine to prepare for the next 100, we are immensely grateful for your support on this journey. It’s not about one person doing everything, it’s about everyone doing something. So over the next couple of weeks, we want to share stories of those people, of you, because they remind us of our power to make change possible and keeps us working hard towards Ukraine’s victory. If you’d like a chance to be featured, please respond back to this email sharing your contact information and 200 words on something you did to support Ukraine.
In the meantime, here’s what Razom has been up to:
The Hospitals Team continues to accept and coordinate in-kind donations from generous individuals and organizations across the U.S. One example (of many) is Iya Labunka, a Ukrainian-American who lives on the rural island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. She went to the CEO of her tiny local hospital (Martha’s Vineyard Hospital), to ask if they could donate any medical supplies for the war effort in Ukraine, and boy did they deliver. They were able to use their buying power to supply us with 1,200 pounds of trauma related medical supplies off of our needs list such as tourniquets, bandages, stop-bleed kits, needles, and IV starters.
The TacMed Team procured 10 high-end portable ultrasound machines by Sonoscanner which have already been distributed to 10 different hospitals across western and eastern Ukraine. Below is a video of how it’s being used at a hospital in Kyiv!
We’ve shipped over 43,000 IFAKs to Ukraine and below you’ll find a few of them in the hands of our end users like police units, territorial defense units, emergency responders, and many more.
In partnership with Smart Medical Aid, Razom hosted an open master class on first aid titled “Let’s start our hearts together” in front of the Opera House in Lviv. Hundreds of Lviv residents and guests took part in the class, including the Head of the Lviv Regional State Administration Maksym Kozytskyi and leader of the rock band Okean Elzy, Sviatoslav Vakarchuk. As part of this initiative, 50 defibrillators will be installed in different cities across Ukraine (including main railway stations) to help save more lives.
Razom also awards grants to smaller organizations in Ukraine that work with internally displaced persons or those Ukrainians needing help in recently liberated areas or hot spots of the war. Razom’s Grants team sources and vets these organizations and volunteer groups in order to help provide hard-to-reach populations with food, water, hygiene products, and basic necessities. Here’s a spotlight on a few of the 38 we’ve issued grants for thus far:
Charitable fund Zarady Tebe (“For You”) was awarded $25,000 to fund their projects aimed at improvement of the living conditions of the most vulnerable segments of the population (lonely elderly, people with special needs, and children at risk), with attention paid to the inter-confessional and inter-ethnic dialogue. Their grant was focused on delivering food packages to the elderly in Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts.
Charitable fund Z Poklykom V Sertsi (“Call of the Heart”) was awarded $30,000 to deliver humanitarian aid to small towns close to the frontline of the war or newly liberated small towns. Oftentimes they are the first aid assistance that these people receive.
Meanwhile the Razom Advocacy team has been hard at work stateside and accomplished the following in the past three months:
Over three dozen meetings with senators, members of Congress, Congressional offices, policy advisors and experts, and established think tanks.
Over half a million dollars-worth collected in donated digital and print ad space to urge the public to “support and supply Ukraine” and close work with renowned journalists such as Anne Applebaum to set up interviews in Ukraine and a number of Razom’s own texts published.
Over a dozen ethnic, religious, and human rights organizations represented at our White House press conference where Razom announced the creation of an American Coalition of Ukraine in addition to regular coordination calls held with over a dozen national and regional Ukrainian-American advocacy groups.
A Congressional briefing held and sponsored by the Ukraine Caucus (and three more on the docket).
Dozens of one-pagers, memos, reports, and presentations prepared for Congressional offices and other advocacy partners.
SEC petition sponsored and activist efforts organized to hold leaders and companies accountable for enabling the Russian war machine.
Consistent work with constituencies across the US over the past three months through social media, traditional media, and phone banking to strengthen messaging for continuous support of Ukraine from the grassroots to the grasstops levels.
The team’s next engagement is with you! Set a reminder for Razom’s upcoming Twitter Space this Friday at 1:00 pm EST. We’ll talk about what’s been done to support Ukraine through this brutal invasion and full scale war, and what everyone can do next.
There continue to be a diverse array of options to support Ukraine and we hope you consider attending some of the cultural events and/or fundraisers happening in your area. It’s so important to see that nearly 100 days into this war, there are many ways to engage our communities to learn about and support Ukraine.
In New York:
Today, June 1 from 6-8pm the Ukrainian Institute of America in NYC will host an opening reception for its Impressions of War illustrations exhibition featuring a silent auction of forty-four posters created in reaction to Russia’s brutal invasion.
On Thursday, June 2 from 6-8pm THE GALLERY is hosting an opening reception for Ola Rondiak: Women’s History, a hundred years of Ukraine curated by Kyoko Sato. The exhibition includes her recent drawings and collage works subjected to Ukraine women, history and tradition. Part of the art sales will be donated to Razom.
On Friday, June 3 at 7pm, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting a MetLifeArt Benefit Concert for Ukraine to raise money for museum workers and arts institutions in Ukraine. The concert will celebrate Ukraine’s diverse musical cultures with performances by world-renowned artists with Ukrainian roots.
If you can’t attend the concert, consider donating directly to the organization that will receive all ticket proceeds from the event: the Heritage Emergency Response Initiative.
On Friday, June 3 from 6-9pm Gallery Arte Azulejo is hosting an opening reception for Yana Bystrova: Approaching a Chaotic Reality, influenced by her country’s struggle to become a free nation. Part of the art sales will be donated to Razom.
On Sunday, June 5 from 12-5pm the Shota Rustaveli Georgian Cultural Center is hosting a fundraising concert for Ukraine at the Ukrainian National Home in the East Village.
Starting Friday, June 10 at 6pm the online virtual screening of feature documentary “A RISING FURY” about the war in Ukraine is set for a World Premiere with the Tribeca Film Festival. The team has been filming over the past 8 years from the peaceful protest in Kyiv in 2013 to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 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. 6/10 tickets here and 6/11 here (all proceeds go to Razom).
Marci Shore, a scholar of intellectual history and a Guggenheim Fellow, will moderate the Q&A after the screening on Friday 6/10.
Today, June 1 at 10am EST Soft Serve, an art and design platform that sells work by emerging artists and craftspeople, is launching an Art For Ukraine fundraiser with all proceeds going to Kyiv Pride.
From Saturday, June 4 at 8pm until Sunday June 5 at 8am, the Szczecin Philharmonic in Polandwill showcase a ‘BACHATHON FOR UKRAINE’ to raise awareness about Ukraine through music. The focal point will be an exceptional endurance requiring performance taking over 4 hours and 30 minutes, performed by one artist, the acclaimed Austrian pianist Aaron Pilsan. The marathon concert will also feature several musical surprises, videos and interviews with the artists and partner organizations.
In Wisconsin: On Sunday, June 12 at 3pm the Olympia Brown UU Church in Racine will host a concert with music, dance, and stories to benefit Ukraine.
In Virginia: On June 24from 6-19pm the Beach Gallery in Virginia Beach is hostinga Hope for Ukraine Art Show & Silent Auction with all proceeds going to either Razom or the World Central Kitchen.
In Ohio:
On Saturday, June 25 at 7pmthe Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America will perform “Amplify The Voice: A Benefit Concert For Ukraine” at the Cleveland Orchestra with ticket proceeds benefiting Razom.
In Pennsylvania: On Sunday, June 26 from 6:30-8pm the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community is hosting a concert at Carnegie Carnegie Music Hall to raise funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine (including Razom’s work).
Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, for keeping up to date with Razom, and for your support of Ukraine. Following the horrific and tragic events that took place last week in Uvalde, Texas, it’s important for us to share that Razom stands in solidarity with our community in the U.S.
We share the pain of the families and community at Robb Elementary and all those who are affected. These acts of violence are devastating, heartbreaking and require change. In times like these, we’ve learned to pull each other closer and only then get to work.
Given humanitarian needs change by the hour and come from multiple geographical points at the same time, Razom awards grants to grassroots initiatives in Ukraine who are responding quickly to the needs of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
As of today 40 Ukrainian non-profit organizations have received grants from Razom supporting their much-needed work in the regions. The total amount of over $1.6M has been awarded to the grantees, with a large portion of it going to our Razom partner of many years – Building Ukraine Together (Будуємо Україну Разом), whose hard work is currently fully dedicated to helping IDPs and Ukrainians in the most war-affected areas.
Here are some of other amazing Razom grantees and their impact:
Ukrainian Charity Alliance (Український Благодійний Альянс) was awarded $16,000 to create and deliver over 780 kits of food essentials that have a long shelf life for civilians with low mobility in the Kharkiv region. They also provided humanitarian aid for shelters housing those that lost their homes in the bombing and occupation of regions surrounding Kharkiv. World-renowned poet, writer, native-Kharkivite, and Razom partner, Serhiy Zhadan attended some of those shelters to help deliver aid.
The charity organization Call of the Heart (З покликом в серці) received a grant to do their critical work in Chernihiv. They wrote: “For 2 months these people were without food, there were enemies surrounding their homes, the neighboring homes were burned down. People lived in terror and anticipation because their villages were occupied. Now they are free from invaders but they faced a humanitarian catastrophe. A few days later, our volunteers brought humanitarian aid to five villages in the Chernihiv region. Almost 1,000 people received food packages with canned food, groceries, cookies, condensed milk, halva, nuts, baby formula, etc., and personal hygiene products.”
The Korsaks’ Museum of Ukrainian Modern Art in Lutsk was awarded $16,000 to help operate a shelter for evacuees and refugees in Ukraine. In April alone, they provided 12,983 days of shelter for IDPs, including 120 permanent residents (all 30 days) and 1,163 temporary residents (4 days on average). They converted a section of “Adrenalin City” (the local Lutsk mall) and adjacent hostel into a shelter filled with beautiful modern art from the museum founder’s personal collection. The group runs frequent art, craft, yoga, breathing, dancing, and performance art workshops for kids and adults, providing ample opportunity for IDPs to rehabilitate and recover.
Volonterska UA was awarded $30,000 to deliver food and medicines to the elderly and people with disabilities in Kharkiv. With this grant, volunteers were able to deliver medicine to 770 Kharkivites who desperately needed it, delivered more than 4,400 food packages directly into the hands of those in need, and even purchased and delivered pet food around Kharkiv. Their call center receives 1,000 calls daily and has built up a team that can process 300-350 requests per day.
We are grateful to these amazing volunteers for their hard work! And thank you to all the Razom’s supporters and donors for making this all possible!
Follow Razom on social media to see more updates from Razom Grants team. For any inquiries and with questions about the grant program, write to grants@razomforukraine.org.
A third weekend of May is the time when East 7th Street turns blue and yellow and New Yorkers are heading to the annual St. George Ukrainian Festival. The festival celebrates culture and beauty of Ukraine featuring a variety of traditional food, clothing, arts and crafts, music and so much more.
After three years of quarantine, our famous yellow couch and Face Box were back at the Razom Lounge. Face Box by celebrated cartoonist Sashko Danylenko was a unique opportunity to get a portrait created with the help of unique biological intelligence technology all while helping Ukraine through your donations. While the yellow couch this year hosted congresswoman C. Maloney with Consul General of Ukraine O. Golubov and everyone who dropped by to experience Razom’s atmosphere.
This year Razom Lounge featured the Individual First Aid Kits (IFAK) and guests were able to add a personal note to the heroes at the frontlines that went into a postcard inside IFAKs. As Ukraine is a winner of the 2022 Eurovision song contest, at Razom Lounge one could meet and converse with our volunteers, who were working at the Eurovision’s press center amplifying the voice of Ukraine to the world.
While at the Lounge one could pick up a custom made in a bomb shelter art piece, a sticker, postcard, poster, pin or a t-shirt. And have a blitz game of chess with the young prodigy. Engage in dialogues with the special guests and the Razom team, and so much more.
With the help of 30+ volunteers and everyone who stopped by we were able to raise around $10,000 for the Emergency Response. We thank all the friendly faces and all volunteers who worked many hours under the New York City’s sun – fueled by Veselka‘s raspberry lemonades and Plast NYC cold borshch – for the beautiful weekend full of love and laughter, all for a great cause of standing with Ukraine. We hope to see you at our upcoming events and the Razom Lounge next year.
Razom Lounge is an annual traditional event organized under our Razom Culture initiative, which promotes Ukrainian culture and spirit in the US and around the world.
Russia’s unjustified and brutal war against Ukraine has centered the importance of good journalism. And the New York Times newsroom has provided excellent coverage for the duration of the war. On May 19, the newsroom released more footage of an execution in Bucha, providing much-needed evidence of Russian war crimes.
This makes the recent piece released by the New York Times Editorial Board questioning the United States’ readiness to support a Ukrainian victory all the more pronounced. It seems that, again, the New York Times Editorial Board has undermined its own newsroom’s critical reporting with an irresponsible, out-of-touch, and poorly reasoned editorial demonstrating anything but expertise on Ukraine and on Russia’s colonial violence in the region.
The editorial rightly states that “it is the Ukrainians who must make the hard decisions.” Unfortunately, the authors then undercut this call for self-determination by outlining what those decisions should be: concessions of territory to Russia in order to end the war. This is an idea based on the false premise that Russia will honor any sort of ceasefire or security guarantees, and halt atrocities on the territories it controls. Thus, the Editorial Board accepts the horrific, criminal, and genocidal treatment of Ukrainians that will take place on Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, all in the name of a “negotiated peace.” With Russia’s flagrant violations of the Minsk Agreements as precedent, this “peace” would in fact condemn Ukraine to a permanent state of war. The Board claims to support the message that, no matter how long it takes, Ukraine will be free. But if all of Ukraine is not free, Ukraine is not free.
In the face of an equivocating dictator with no regard for diplomatic efforts—and an army that continues to slaughter, terrorize, and rape civilians of all ages—Ukrainians have made the “difficult decision” to fight and defend their homeland and the values we in the West hold as our birthright. It remains unclear on what grounds the Editorial Board envisions a negotiated settlement with a despot, war criminal, fascist, and “butcher” (in the words of the editorial itself)—who regularly calls Ukraine statehood a fiction. The repeated insinuations that Ukraine will have to make “hard decisions” and make the “painful territorial” concessions that these would demand are head-scratching, not least because the Board, in the very same piece, (aptly) identifies Putin as an “aggrieved, volatile despot who has shown little inclination toward a negotiated settlement.”
And so, if we heed the paternalistic calls of the Board to “shake off the euphoria” and stop “chasing” a win, what does that look like for the millions of Ukrainians who are and will be living under a brutal Russian occupation with genocidal intent?
The editorial itself is rife with poor reasoning and contradictions. But the insidious insinuations are of particular concern and damage. Continued support of Ukraine allegedly carries “extraordinary costs and serious dangers,” and yet the dangers enumerated—a threatful Russia grasping at straws—persist and endanger more without Western resolve to help Ukraine defend itself. Any attempt of appeasement, by that or any other name, bears “extraordinary costs and serious dangers” when the receiving end is a fascist regime by every possible metric. We have, unfortunately, amassed a large “dataset” specific to what that may look like, what happens when the West bargains with Putin’s aggression. In each instance, we embalm a war. In each instance, we get a more serious, more brazen instance of violence and war that follows.
The Board presents itself as a group of journalists whose views are informed by expertise. But Ukrainians are all too familiar with people who claim expertise on Ukraine based on years in Moscow bureaus and degrees in Russian studies. Too many experts on Russia, many of whom have rebranded themselves as Ukraine experts, see Ukraine as a subsection of their fields, claiming to know Ukraine because they know Russia. This is the root of the problem. You cannot see Ukraine from Moscow.
In characterizing a Ukrainian victory as unrealistic and the amassing Ukrainian successes as “stunning,” the Board shows its own misguided character. For those who keep their eye on Moscow and have only seen Ukraine on the periphery, Ukrainian resolve, victory in an entire theater of war, and continuing successes at pushing back an invasion on a scale not seen since the Second World War have, no doubt, been surprising and unbelievable. But—to Ukrainians, to those Western analysts that forewent colonial and imperial frameworks for understanding Eastern Europe and those formerly under Soviet domination, to those of us that see Ukraine as a truly independent and dignified people and not a mere vector of Russian power projections—Ukrainian successes do not come as a surprise. And we know that, with the necessary support from the United States, Europe, and the international community, Ukraine will win this war.
Ukraine has made the “hard decision” to oppose the extermination of its people in Russian-occupied territories and to fight for all its freedom and all its people. US support, whether extended or not, will not prevent Ukraine from negotiating a peace if it ever became an option. But it will determine whether Ukraine has what it needs to keep fighting for what Ukrainians deserve and what we believe in. It’s now up to us to make sure we support them in this.
It’s important to remember that in Ukraine, rockets don’t choose where to fall, so the wounds of civilians and soldiers are the same. As we enter day 83 of the war that should have never happened, we are eager to share how your generous donations to Razom help save lives in Ukraine.
Dear Razom community,
To date, there have been over 300 events hosted worldwide benefiting Razom. At one point, GoFundMe had 91 fundraisers for Razom live on its platform. Today, we’ve had over 120,000 donors support our work, with the average donation being under $300 and the largest single donation being $1M. That means that tens of thousands of you took individual action to help Ukraine. We know we have yet to acknowledge and sincerely thank every one of you, but we promise to get there soon! In the meantime, Razom continues to focus on converting all of those generous donations into something that saves lives as fast as possible. The following are some highlights of that work:
Here is a screenshot of a testimonial sent to one of our TacMed Team leaders, Tonya, from a doctor at a Chernivtsi Emergency Hospital where a lot of wounded (including children) are sent ->
To date, Razom has delivered 100 hospital grade wound vac machines across hospitals in Ukraine, and 220 more are on their way from Sweden right now! We’ve also procured 1,000 manual emergency wound vacs, plus dressings, that will be making their way to Ukraine in the next few weeks.
Below is a photo of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (ДСНС) utilizing one of the civilian drones Razom procured and delivered to Kharkiv in their process of demining the city. Kharkiv is one of the most mined places in Ukraine (and the world) right now, slowing down reconstruction efforts and risking the lives of tens of thousands of people. Using drones to locate mines increases safety in the process and decreases the long hours it takes to do this work. Razom is working to deliver more of this tech enabled humanitarian aid in the right hands in Ukraine.
Given humanitarian needs change by the hour and come from multiple geographical points at the same time, Razom awards grants to grassroots initiatives in Ukraine who are responding quickly to the needs of civilians and internally displaced persons. The program has grown significantly in the past weeks:
Volonterska UA was awarded $30,000 to deliver food and medicines to the elderly and people with disabilities in Kharkiv. Their call center receives 1,000 calls daily and has built up a team that can process 300-350 requests per day.
Ukrainian Charity Alliance was awarded $16,000 to create and deliver over 780 kits of food essentials that have a long shelf life for civilians with low mobility in the Kharkiv region. They also provided humanitarian aid for shelters housing those that lost their homes in the bombing and occupation of regions surrounding Kharkiv. World-renowned poet, writer, native-Kharkivian, and Razom partner, Serhiy Zhadan visited some of those shelters to help deliver aid.
The Korsaks’ Museum of Ukrainian Modern Art in Lutsk was awarded $16,000 to help operate a shelter for evacuees and refugees in Ukraine. In April alone, they provided shelter for 12,983 IDPs, including 120 permanent residents (all 30 days) and 1,163 temporary residents (4 days on average). They converted a section of Adrenalin City (the local Lutsk mall) and adjacent hostel into a shelter filled with beautiful modern art from the museum founder’s personal collection. The group runs frequent art, craft, yoga, breathing, dancing, and performance art workshops for kids and adults, providing ample opportunity for IDPs to rehabilitate and recover.
The latest tally from our Hospitals Team is that an estimated $7.5M worth of in-kind donations of medicine and medical supplies have been made thanks to organizations like Americares, MedShare, Partners for World Health, Direct Relief, and companies like Figs and Cabinet Health. Razom has successfully delivered $3.7M worth of those donations to Ukraine.
For example this week, 2,000 IFAKs donated by Direct Relief arrived in Razom’s warehouse in Ukraine and are ready for distribution.
The team also sorted through 8 pallets of individual in-kind donations at our New Jersey warehouse and reconfigured 3 pallets of the most urgent supplies to ship to Ukraine asap.
Razom’s Head of Major & Transformational Gifts, Olena Nyzhnykevych, took to the keynote stage at KubeCon in Spain this week to talk about what Razom is, how we’ve grown, what we’re working on as we scale up, and educate the open source and cloud native community about what Ukraine is going through right now. There were 7,000 people in attendance in person and over 10,000 online.
After three years, the St. George Ukrainian Festival is back in NYC which means that the famous Razom yellow couch and Face Box are back too! Come join the Razom Lounge this Saturday and Sunday to learn all about our work in delivering aid and advocacy, pack some IFAKs, participate in an art workshop, and be together. Before we open up the Lounge though, we’ll be marching on the Brooklyn Bridge. Join us for the “Live Chain for Ukraine” on Saturday 5/21 at 12pm on theManhattan or Brooklyn side of the bridge and meet in the middle. Spread the word, we will need a lot of people to make this a powerful event!
If you can’t be in New York City this weekend, there are so many other events around the country (including virtually!) to look forward to:
On Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 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. 6/10 tickets here and 6/11 here.
In Illinois: Today, May 20 at 6:30pm, theCobra Lounge in Chicago will host a benefit show titled “Punks For Ukraine” with all proceeds from ticket sales going to 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 California: On Sat, May 28, the Riviera Village on Redondo Beachwill have over 14 businesses donating 20% of their proceeds to Razom.
In Virginia: On June 24from 6-19pm the Beach Gallery in Virginia Beach is hostinga Hope for Ukraine Art Show & Silent Auction with all proceeds going to either Razom or the World Central Kitchen.
