Tipper Gore donates $1 Million to Razom for Ukraine

Published: June 13, 2022   

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.

Contacts

Nonna Tsiganok
Media Relations, Razom
nonna@razomforukraine.org

Newsletter #18: Want to know what kind of impact your donations are having?

Published: June 7, 2022   

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 questions about available prosthetics and 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.
  • On Sunday, June 12 at 2pm The Timbres are hosting a concert fundraiser for Ukraine at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC.
  • 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:

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.   

Stay razom.

Newsletter #17: We are approaching 100 days of war

Published: June 1, 2022   

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.  
  • 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.
  • On Sunday, June 12 at 2pm The Timbres are hosting a concert fundraiser for Ukraine at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC. 
  • Stop by Chobani in Soho this month as sales of a new Chobani Café menu item inspired by the Ukrainian flag (Chobani’s Blueberry & Pineapple Creation) will be donated to Razom!

Online / Virtually: 

  • 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 Poland will 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 Connecticut:  On Thursday,June 2 at 5:30pm, Sacred Heart University’s School of Communication, Media & the Arts presents a live performance fundraising event called Slava Ukraini.  

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:

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.

Stay razom (together). 

Razom Grants Deepdive

Published: May 29, 2022   

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.

Newsletter #16: How Your Donations Are Making An Impact And Much More

Published: May 20, 2022   

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: 

In New York:

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 Michigan:  On Tuesday, May 24 starting at 6:30pm, the Armory Brewing Company in Grand Haven will be donating a portion of their sales that evening to Razom! 

In California:  On Sat, May 28, the Riviera Village on Redondo Beach will 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.  

Virtually:  From now until May 31st, Ukrainian artist Mariya Zeltsman and Metaversero (World’s first XR NFT Marketplace) are selling NFTs to benefit Razom. 

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

Stay Razom.

Newsletter #15: You’ll love these updates from 5 different Razom teams

Published: May 13, 2022   

Razom has significantly scaled and refined its operations in the past few weeks and we are so excited to share how the impact of that work and your donations grows.  We’ve also been hard at work advocating for Ukraine in the US and ask for your support below.  Each one of us can do something for Ukraine today, this weekend, and next week, so let’s get to it!

Dear Razom community,

Razom is always here, moving the needle to get us closer to Ukraine’s victory.  The war is still ongoing and there is still a lot of work to be done now that we’re 70 days in.  We need your support and we humbly share with you all that we’re able to accomplish thanks to your generosity .  Let’s keep it up!  

  • Three ambulances recently made it to Donbas to help care for the wounded on the front lines of the war there.  These ambulances made their way from Wales in England to Donbas in partnership with the United Ukraine Foundation in the UK.  Razom also helped outfit them with tourniquets, IFAKs, other important life-saving medicines, and 30 sets of uniforms to the firefighters of Kryvyi Rih. 
  • Here’s the final tally of the work the TacMed Team at Razom accomplished in just one week (5/2/22 – 5/7/22): 
    • Volunteers built and shipped 8,000+ IFAKs, potentially saving 8,000 or more limbs, or even lives.  The approximate value of them is $600,000.
    • Volunteers built and shipped 40 fully loaded tactical medical backpacks
    • These included 20,000 packs of QuikClot Combat Gauze, which are top of the line and extremely hard to procure these days, but of course Razom TacMed team secured them! 
    • It took 108 volunteers to get this much work done in one week.  We when we say urgent, we’re not kidding!  When we say #razom (“together”), we’re serious! 
    • We also shipped out several pallets of medical supplies, and items such as sleeping bags, stretchers, splints, tourniquets, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and burn treatment kits.
    • We started an initiative to include kids’ drawings, postcards, and letters packed into the IFAKs to encourage Ukrainian heroes.  If you or your children would like to contribute in this way, please send to:

  ENCOURAGE Ukraine
  57 Beach Street, Suite 306
  Staten Island, NY 10304

  • Meanwhile the Razom volunteers working at the warehouse across the ocean in Ukraine managed to distribute for shipment 40 orders of aid in only one day.  To date, Razom has processed over 600 aid requests from hospitals, field hospitals, and territorial defense units across Ukraine.  
  • So far this month, the MedGlobal team in collaboration with Razom and UMANA have trained over 150 doctors across 6 hospitals in Ukraine totaling 40 hours of trainings.  All of the hospitals visited are receiving wounded civilians and military patients, some as many as 40 such patients per day.  Training topics covered polytrauma, triage, FAST exam, blast injury, among others.
    • One of those butterfly ultrasounds that the MedGlobal team donated saved a life this month.  It uncovered pneumothorax in a patient, something that’s not visible on an x-ray. 

What’s one way you can advocate for Ukraine today?

Join us in support of a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for more disclosure about russian operations by US public companies. Razom signed the petition along with the Ukrainian-American Bar Association, Natalie Jaresko (former Finance Minister of Ukraine), and assistance from Andrii (Andrey) Galiuk from StopBusinessWithRussia initiative. 

It’s simple – russian taxes are funding the war in Ukraine, and we need more transparency. The world is watching, Ukrainians are watching.

You can find ways to help us further this work and become a part of the movement here:  https://www.razomforukraine.org/boycott-business-with-russia/

The Razom Advocacy Team is monitoring closely the advancement of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act in the amount of $39 billion.

This is where we need your help!

The Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act will be up for a vote in the Senate soon and we want to make sure Senators know how their constituents – YOU – feel about passing the bill.  Click here to find out why this bill is important and needs your support, and click here to find out how to call your Senators and what to say to them.  Let’s help Ukraine win the war, together.

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:

Online:  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 Texas:This weekend 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 Washington D.C.:  On May 17 the US-Ukraine Foundation is hosting a fundraising event featuring Eurovision star, Roxolana, titled “Taking Back Z.”

In Pennsylvania:  On Tuesday, May 17 from 7:30-9:30pm at the Kresge Theater, the Carnegie Mellon School of Music presents a special concert to benefit the Ukrainian people featuring 17 members of the faculty, musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and students of the School of Music. 

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 Beach will 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.  

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

Stay Razom.

Newsletter #14: We are 120,000 donors and volunteers strong and we still need your help

Published: May 6, 2022   

We hit 120,000 donors this week and it’s absolutely amazing.  The diversity of Razom’s network reflects the diversity of all the work we’re able to accomplish with your generous contributions.  We are all moving towards the same goal — Ukraine’s victory, and we’re doing it Razom.  Let’s keep it up.

Dear Razom community,

Ukraine is winning, big aid is moving, Razom’s impact is growing, but the war is still ongoing.  There is an incredible amount of work to be done.  Our volunteers, colleagues, and partners in Ukraine share this daily.  We are forever grateful for the support of our individual donors, and today, ask you to consider making another donation to Razom, no matter how big or small.  We need your support to keep going. 

Your contributions have real impact on the lives of Ukrainians.  Here’s a snapshot of some of the things we were able to accomplish this week: 

  • Razom’s Hospitals Team shipped an entire pallet worth of antibiotics thanks to a $10,000 grant from Morristown Medical Center received by fellow Razom volunteer and pharmacist Oksana Lytvyn.  
  • The team also obtained one pallet worth of sutures donated by Surgeon Ilkana M Gaffar on behalf of Kings County Hospital.  
  • To date, Razom has invested $925,362 into its logistical chain.
  • MedGlobal is in Lviv again for their second medical mission in partnership with Razom and UMANA.  They brought with them 150 suitcases of medical supplies and several more Butterfly Ultrasounds to donate to hospitals across Ukraine.  They continue to provide important training on trauma care and chemical warfare.   
  • Sometimes local NGOs and informal volunteer initiatives are best positioned to provide timely response to humanitarian needs that change by the hour and come from multiple geographical points at the same time, like they do in Ukraine.  That’s why Razom developed a grant program that awards grassroots initiatives in Ukraine to help civilians in hot zones.  Here’s some of what they’ve been able to accomplish:
    • Groups like Rescue Now and Жовта допомога Харкiв (2 of our 16 grant recipients) provide basic humanitarian aid (food, hygiene products, medicines etc.) to people in Kharkiv oblast, especially in recently liberated cities, towns, and villages in the region.  
    • Chernihiv in northern Ukraine suffered terribly at the beginning of the invasion and charity organization, З покликом у серці, is delivering aid to the region that was occupied for weeks without access to the supplies people desperately needed.
    • TAPS Dnipro provided 7,148 aid packages to internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the Dnipro Volunteer IDP Center which receives on average 1,300 IDPs daily.  They used their $20,000 Razom Grant to deliver nine 20-ton trucks with humanitarian aid from Germany, Romania, Baltic States, Lviv and Vinnytsa.  With this investment we were able to support the center’s operations for an entire week. 

Razom held two press conferences on the same day this week, one in Lviv, Ukraine and another in Washington D.C.

In Ukraine, it was important that we amplify our reach so that we continue building out the network of people who need help and organizations that need partnership support.  You can watch the press conference here (it’s in Ukrainian) moderated by former Ambassador to Ukraine from Canada Andrij Shevchenko and featuring Razom Board Member Lyuba Shipovich, Razom dlia Ukraini Director Evelina Kurilets, and “Children We Will Make It” co-founder (and current head of Razom volunteer drivers) Vitalii Svichynskyi. 

The D.C. press conference brought together community leaders from Ukrainian organizations and partners from ethnic, religious, and human rights groups to voice their support for Ukraine.  Razom, United Help Ukraine, U.S. Ukrainian activists, and leaders of Polish, Baltic, Syrian, Afghan, Jewish, Muslim and human rights groups spoke all together in front of the White House.  You can watch it here. 

Razom also announced its intent to launch the American Coalition for Ukraine and deliver a Joint Statement on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriation for Ukraine.  You can find the full statement here.  

This is group advocacy work that everyone can take part in.  The $33B emergency supplemental aid package for Ukraine is currently awaiting congressional approval.  Call up your representatives so they know you support this package to get Ukraine closer to victory now.

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:

Online:

  • Today, Friday May 6 is the last day to catch the International Muses Marathon to raise funds for Voices of Children featuring performances and appeal videos based on a personal Facebook Messenger conversation between the MAE director and Ukraine native Mikhail Zorich and his close friend, Irina, in Kyiv.  Type “100 Hours” in the comments section of the donation page.
  • On Tuesday, May 10 at  5pm PST the Los Angeles Center of Photography is presenting an online conversation with photographer Natalie Keyssar, sharing her experience covering the war in Ukraine.  The event will be moderated by LACP’s executive director, Dr. Rotem Rozental andNatalie will discuss and present her powerful, yet devastating photographs from the conflict.
  • 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 Illinois:Today, May 6 at 8pmChicago will host an EDM concert to benefit the current refugee crisis with proceeds going to Razom at Skyline Loft at the Bridgeport Arts Center.  

In Michigan:Today, 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 13, 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 Pennsylvania:  On Tuesday, May 17 from 7:30-9:30pm at the Kresge Theater, the Carnegie Mellon School of Music presents a special concert to benefit the Ukrainian people featuring 17 members of the faculty, musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and students of the School of Music. 

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. 

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

Stay Razom.

$40M to Help Ukraine. Razom Press-Conference in Lviv

Published: May 5, 2022   

5 травня 2022 року у львівському “Ukraine Media Centre” відбулась прес-конференція представників NGO “Razom for Ukraine” на тему “40 млн. дол. для допомоги Україні: як українські волонтери у США наближають нашу перемогу”.

З початку вторгнення Росії в Україну “Razom for Ukraine” поставила на паузу усі свої проекти й зосередилася на єдиному – допомогти українцям під час війни. За ці місяці за допомогою фандрайзингу організації вдалося зібрали 40 мільйонів доларів.

“З них вже на 27 мільйонів доларів вже закуплено товарів таких, як товари тактичної медицини, засоби комунікації, супутникові телефони, планшети, рації, дрони” – повідомила співзасновниця та віце-президентка NGO “Razom for Ukraine” Люба Шипович.

Спеціалізацією “RAZOM” є закупівля сертифікованих засобів тактичної медицини та доставка гуманітарної допомоги. Спочатку організація визначала та купувала необхідне самостійно, далі — налагодила комунікацію безпосередньо з військовими частинами та організаціями ТРО й почала отримувати запити безпосередньо від них. Військові найчастіше просили квадрокоптери, медичні аптечки та кровоспинні турнікети.

“За цей час війни нам уже вдалося виконати більше 550 заявок, які ми доставляємо напряму на передову. Тобто кінцевими отримувачами нашої допомоги є військові частини, госпіталі, організації територіальної оборони у прифронтових зонах” – поділилась виконавча директорка благодійного фонду “Разом для України” Евеліна Курілець.

Ще одним важливим напрямком допомоги “Razom for Ukraine” спільно з громадським рухом “Діти, ми встигнемо” стала евакуація діток з особливими потребами із гарячих точок та прифронтових зон. За два місяці волонтерам вдалося евакуювати 10 діток зі СМА закордон, а також вивезли до безпечних місць понад 500 дітей та жінок.

“Пізніше ми трансформувались і вирішили, що ми не тільки будемо евакуйовувати людей, однак, і доставляти ці надважливі вантажі, про які говорили попередні спікери. Ми доставляємо, фактично, гуманітарні вантажі, а назад веземо евакуйованих людей” – зазначив голова громадського руху “Діти, ми встигнемо” Віталій Свічинський.

Ініціатива “Razom for Ukraine” виникла ще під час “Революції Гідності” та об’єднала людей, не байдужих до української демократії. Сьогодні ж у США лише фандрейзингом займаються понад 100 волонтерів, працює лобістська команда, яка проводить зустрічі у Вашингтоні із Сенаторами та держслужбовцями США ТОП-рівня, а в Україні на складі організації працюють 45 осіб.

“Ми відкриті до співпраці і якщо комусь потрібна наша допомога, або хтось може нас підтримати – ласкаво просимо, ми відкриті до співпраці” – підсумувала прес-конференцію Евеліна Курілець.

Eva Kurilets (left), Vitaliy Svichynskyi (center), Lyuba Shipovich (right)
former Ambassador to Ukraine from Canada Andrij Shevchenko

On May 5, 2022, a press conference was held at the Ukraine Media Center in Lviv by representatives of Razom for Ukraine on the topic “$40 million to help Ukraine: how Ukrainian volunteers in the United States are approaching our victory.”

Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Razom for Ukraine has paused all its projects and focused on one thing – helping Ukrainians in war time. During these months, the organization managed to raise $40 million through fundraising.

“Of these, $27 million have already been purchased for goods such as tactical medicine, communications, satellite phones, tablets, walkie-talkies, drones,” said Lyuba Shipovich, co-founder and vice president of Razom for Ukraine.

RAZOM specializes in the purchase of certified tactical medical supplies and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Initially, the organization determined and purchased the necessary items on its own, then established communication directly with military units and territorial defense units and began to receive inquiries directly from them. The military most often asked for quadcopters, first aid kits and hemostatic tourniquets.

“During this war, we have already managed to fulfill more than 550 requests, which we deliver directly to the front. That is, the final recipients of our assistance are military units, hospitals and field hospitals, territorial defense units in the frontline zones” – shared the executive director of Razom dlia Ukraini Evelina Kurilets.

Another important branch of ​​aid for Razom together with the social movement “Children, we will make it” was the evacuation of children with special needs from hotspots and frontline areas. In two months, volunteers managed to evacuate 10 children with SMA abroad and more than 500 children and women to safety.

“Shortly we have transformed and decided that we would not only evacuate people, but also deliver this crucial aid, which was mentioned by previous speakers. Thus, we deliver humanitarian goods, and we take the evacuated people back,” said Vitaliy Svichynskyi, the head of the movement “Children, we will make it”.

Razom for Ukraine originated during the Revolution of Dignity and brought together people who stand for Ukrainian democracy. Today, more than 100 volunteers in the United States alone fundraise for Ukraine, an advocacy team meets in Washington D.C. with top U.S. senators and government officials, and 45 people work in Ukraine.

“We are open to cooperation and if someone needs our help, or someone can support us – welcome, we are open to cooperation,” Evelina Kurilets concluded the press conference.

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.  
Volunteers at our warehouse in Ukraine
Razom volunteers in Canada

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.

#ArmUkraineNow – Urgent Call To Action

Published: April 19, 2022   

For fifty-four days, Ukraine has been heroically resisting russia’s military aggression.  It is clear now that this is not just a russian military operation, but a planned genocide of the Ukrainian people.  Hundreds of children have been displaced, injured and killed.  Civilian buildings, and entire cities, have been destroyed, leveled and looted.  Russia has begun a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine can stop russia only if it receives critical weapons from its international partners, such as heavy artillery, heavy-armored vehicles, air defense systems, and combat aircraft (full list here).

Razom, with Mas Agency, announced a global social media campaign “Arm Ukraine Now.”  Anyone who supports Ukraine, strives for its sovereignty and independence, and supports providing heavy weapons to Ukraine to end russia’s military aggression can participate in this campaign.  It will run until April 30, 2022.

The campaign’s goal is to secure needed weapons for the Ukrainian army as soon as possible to push the aggressor out of Ukraine, and thus save thousands of civilian lives and defend democracy in Europe.

How to join the campaign:

  1. Take a photo of yourself holding a piece of paper, on your phone, or tablet, with the slogan #ArmUkraineNow.  
  2. Post to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, with a short appeal to the leadership of your country, or to the international community at large with the request to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons to counter Russia’s aggression and to save civilian lives.  Make sure to use the hashtag.
  3. Tag three friends to do the same.  Let’s make this go viral. 

Proposed Text:

Why are we so afraid to arm the professional army of a democratic state that is fighting an aggressor on its own territory?  Let’s unite to stop the war in Ukraine.  Let’s defend freedom and save lives.  I’m asking world leaders to #ArmUkraineNow.

Join us (tag 3 friends):

  • Post a picture with a sign #ArmUkraineNow
  • Ask your government to support Ukraine
  • Tag 3 friends to do the same. 

Without additional weapons for Ukraine, this war will turn into an endless and bloody battle, which will spread misery, suffering, and more death.  The war crimes will continue beyond Mariupol, Bucha, and Kramatorsk.  The global impact of the war will make life more difficult for people around the world, beyond the borders of Ukraine.  The sooner Ukraine gets arms the better for us all.

Join the #ArmUkraineNow social media campaign and invite your friends.

Only when we are many, we will be heard.  Every post, and every participant has an impact!

Razom