Many of our supporters and followers ask the same question – who are Razomers? And we, as always, answer that Razom is our volunteers, Razomers, whose hearts ache for Ukraine, who give their time, expertise and energy in pursuit of a common goal – a strong and independent Ukraine!
All of our photos show only a fraction of Razom volunteers. Today, Razom is comprised of:
200+ active volunteers in the US (and a few hundred more who help periodically)
20+ volunteers in Canada
20+ volunteers in Poland
50+ volunteers in Ukraine
dozens of partner organizations
procurement teams, logistics, sorting, warehouse platform developers, warehouse operators, drivers, communicators, financiers, donor support team, advocacy team, lawyers, protest and charity concert organizers, and an entire team responding to endless emails and phone calls
Our teams’ intense cooperation and hard work have resulted so far in:
more than 200 tons of cargo sent to Ukraine: tactical medicine, hospital medicine, civilian drones for safe medical delivery, walkie-talkies, telephones, rations
delivered goods to Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Odesa regions
hundreds of events in support of Ukraine in the United States and Canada
hundreds of advocacy interviews in the US and Canadian press
and a great desire to win the war!
We are deeply grateful to all our volunteers for their dedication and tireless work!
Багато хто задає те саме запитання – хто такі Razomці? А ми, як завжди, відповідаємо, що Razom – це і є наші волонтери, Razomці, у яких болить серце за Україну, які віддають свій час, знання та енергію заради спільної мети – сильної та незалежної України!
На всіх наших фотографіях – лише частина волонтерів Razom. А загалом, наразі під час війни Razom – це:
200+ активних волонтерів в США (і ще кілька сотень таких, що допомагають періодично)
20+ волонтерів в Канаді
20+ волонтерів в Польщі
50+ волонтерів в Україні
десятки партнерських організацій
команди закупівель, логістики, сортування, розробники платформи складу, оператори складу, водії, комунікаційники, фінансисти, команда підтримки донорів, адвокаційна команда, юристи, організатори протестів і благодіних концертів, команда, яка відповідає на чисельні емейли і телефонні дзвінки
Інтенсивна співпраця та наполеглива робота наших команд наразі вже привели до наступних результатів:
понад 200 тон вантажів відправлених в Україну: тактична медицина, госпітальна медицина, цивільні дрони задля безпеки перевезень, рації, телефони, сухпайки
доставлені вантажі в Житомирську, Київську, Чернігівську, Сумську, Харківську, Луганську, Донецьку, Дніпровську, Запорізьку, Миколаївську, Одеську області
сотні подій на підтримку України в США і Канаді
сотні адвокаційних інтерв’ю в пресі США і Канади
і величезне бажання виграти війну!
Ми щиро вдячні всім нашим волонтерам за самовідданість та невтомну працю!
Below you’ll find updates from Razom’s hospitals team, a volunteer fundraising impact story grown out of WI, and a list of the latest events across the country for you to go and support Ukraine.
Dear Razom community,
The sorting and packing in our New Jersey warehouse doesn’t stop and that’s thanks to all of your (and our partners’) donations and our teams’ procurements that continue to pour in. Each of the steps you take, big or small, are a part of a chain of support that makes a difference in Ukraine. Today we want to shine a light on two different teams at Razom – the hospitals team and the US migrant task force team.
Razom’s hospitals team (hospitals@razomforukraine.org) is a segment of our Emergency Response project that coordinates and partners with global health and major disaster relief organizations to collect in-kind donations of hospital supplies and medicines for Ukraine. Those partners include MedShare, PartnersforWorldHealth, Americares, and Afya Foundation. Thanks to our on the ground partners Zdorovi and Patients of Ukraine (Пацієнти України), we have access to five warehouses across 3 different cities in Ukraine to be able to reliably distribute aid to hospitals in need. Here’s what they’ve accomplished so far:
MedGlobal x Razom x UMANA x Ministry of Health in Ukraine are partnering to facilitate the first of several week-long medical missions by bringing a team of 10 trauma surgeons to Lviv, traveling with 160 suitcases of medical supplies and portable butterfly ultrasounds. They will provide trainings for Ukrainian doctors on poly trauma surgical procedures/diagnostics/surgeries, on operating portable butterfly ultrasounds (donated by MedGlobal), and educating doctors on how to prepare (and act) in case of chemical warfare.
PartnersforWorldHealth has sent over 26 pallets of medical supplies to Razom, 7 of which we shipped by air and the rest by sea (based on priority of needs in Ukraine).
MedShare is finalizing its first sea container of medical supplies to go to Ukraine next week, and has invited Razom to its 10th Annual Share the Good Gala on April 4th to raise funds for humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.
Americares is sending its 3rd large shipment of urgent medications next week via Razom for our partner in Ukraine Patients of Ukraine (Пацієнти України).
We’ve also coordinated and received in-kind donations from hospitals and individual medical works that have collectively included:
8 pallets of medical hospital supplies from UMass Memorial Medical Center
1 woundvac and 5 boxes of surgical / central line catheters from private donations
6 boxes of surgical supplies from Rhode Island Doctors donated to our tactical medicine efforts
FIGS donated 21 pallets of new hospital scrubs to military hospitals in Ukraine to boost morale of the overworked medical professionals.
Help Heroes of Ukraine has been a major transportation partner for us, volunteering to deliver many pallets of aid on our behalf to our Meest warehouse in New Jersey.
We are so grateful to be building long-term relationships with these organizations as they are key to Razom being able to respond quickly and at scale to needs in Ukraine. There’s good reason we named ourselves Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian #RazomAccelerates.
Thanks to the work of the Door County Candle Company, there’s now a little bit of Ukraine lighting up homes in all 50 states in the U.S., including Puerto Rico. Second generation Ukrainian-American, Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani, channeled her feelings of helplessness over what’s happening in Ukraine by putting her talents and resources to good use, and inspiring her community to do the same. This artisan candle shop located in Sturgeon Bay, WI in Northern Wisconsin’s Door County Peninsula, has raised over $300,000 (and counting) for Razom’s Emergency Response by selling over 40,000 “Ukraine” candles. That’s double the amount they’d usually sell in a year!
To be able to get this done, Christiana got her father, an ER doctor helping when he’s not on shift, her Door County community of volunteers, and even the previous owner of the shop, who came out of retirement to help streamline the process. People drive up from hours away to be a part of the volunteer effort pouring and preparing candles or making lunches and coffee for the team. Even Christiana’s 82 year-old grandmother, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine as a child during World War II, is helping to sticker the packages.
Everyday people from all walks of life, professions, creeds, ethnicities, and worldviews unite to do one thing to help Ukraine, and it’s so beautiful. You don’t have to do everything, but you can do something, and together, that can be extraordinary.
Finally, here’s a list of events we’d like to bring to your attention and encourage you to support:
On Saturday, April 2nd theUkrainian Bandura Chorus Concert of North America will be performing a Save the Ukrainian Voice Charitable Concert in Michigan with all proceeds benefiting Razom.
On Saturday, April 2ndrefnight.com (who goes to a hockey game every year to cheer for the referees and raise money for charity) has chosen Razom for an evening at a New Jersey Devils hockey game.
All the proceeds from a Charity Gala Event on Sunday, April 3rd at the Oceana Theater in Brooklyn will be going to Razom’s Emergency Response project. The event will be performance-based, with the acts varying from music (performances from KAZKA and Alyosha amongst others), children’s choir and dance, speeches, and video blocks (feat. Okean Elzy, Jamala, and Max Barskih).
NYC Moms For A Cause will be hosting a Cocktail Reception to Benefit Ukrainian Families on April 12th, 6:30-9:00pm at the Ukrainian Institute of America. The evening will include live performances, a silent auction, and heavy canapés and flowing drinks, all in support of Razom’s Emergency Response.
April 30th from 3:30-7:30pm theHudson 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!
As always, thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and continue to #StandWithUkraine.
This is our regularly scheduled newsletter with important updates about our Emergency Response Project, advocacy work, and a list of the latest opportunities to support Ukraine.
Dear Razom Community,
At Razom, we believe that one of the most effective ways to support the heroic efforts of Ukrainian defenders on the ground in Ukraine is by equipping them with tactical medical supplies. This was the form of humanitarian aid that we focused on from day one, and it continues to be on the top of the list of most requested aid from hotspots that are actively repelling russian occupiers across Ukraine.
Razom volunteers were able to act fast in procuring these types of supplies largely because of their gained experience from 2014. Canada-based Tonia Kumko, founder of IntoMath (before she became one of our resident tacmed experts) is one of the leading volunteers on the tacmed team, says she never would have thought she’d be using that prior experience again. Today it allows her team to make decisions and find supplies faster.
Up until this point, we’ve maintained a fairly high degree of transparency with you about our logistical chain and where our tactical medicine shipments land across Ukraine. Given the developments of the past week however, it’s become increasingly more risky for us to share which regions (territorial defense units and hospitals) we are serving in Ukraine when it comes to delivering tacmed aid. But rest assured that we are working hard to prioritize regions of Ukraine where this aid can make the most impact in saving lives. In the meantime, here’s what Razomers on the other side of the Atlantic have managed to achieve:
Over $5M has been spent on tactical medicine and tacmed equipment.
Razom is averaging procuring 10,000 tourniquets per week (worth over $250,000/week) from the most reputable suppliers buying CAT, SOF-T and/or SAM brands. In life-or-death situations, tourniquets stop arterial bleeding so the quality of this single-use device matters. They continue to be the most sought-after and requested forms of aid across Ukraine.
Thanks to our strong ties to communities and professionals on the ground in Ukraine, we’re able to learn of exact needs quickly and act on some specific (if not esoteric) requests that can make a big difference. A good example has been SAM splints (procured over 3,100 of them for $56,100), designed for immobilizing bone and soft tissue injuries in emergency settings. What’s more, we work hard and smart with your donation money by researching the best possible supply chain deals. Aside from the 80 SAM splints that we secured for free, our best negotiated discount so far was 60% off!
We’ve purchased over 10,300 chest seals for over $58,000. Ukrainians in the U.S. and Canada have really stepped up to the plate in procuring these because the supply of chest seals has been completely depleted in North America…through July. So Razomers found contacts in Australia and the U.K to buy over 6,000 of these, which are due to arrive in our warehouse in western Ukraine later this week.
A group of about 15 volunteers worked around the clock to sort and pack aid for shipment overseas. In one week’s time they put together 2,000 IFAKs in our New Jersey warehouse. These are not your regular first aid kits – they’re designed to treat traumatic injuries and severe bleeding, life-saving materials that in one week were worth collectively over $200,000.
With all of the determination and attention to detail Razomers put towards sourcing the best tactical medicine supplies for Ukraine, a small group of volunteers decided to build an IT system from scratch that enables Razom to account for this aid when it flies overseas and lands in our warehouse in western Ukraine. With accurate tracking, we’re able to be much more efficient in distributing tacmed supplies based on our availability and quantities needed in different hotspots across Ukraine. That IT system is constantly being maintained, updated, and refined as we grow our operations.
Never forget that you have the power to not just donate money to help Ukraine, but your time and talents too. In New York City last week, our community has gone above and beyond in its advocacy work by organizing a second Mothers’ March across the city, a #SaveMariupol flashmob in Grand Central Station, and a flag raising ceremony at Bowling Green. You can read more about the significance of that ceremony and New York Mayor Eric Adams’ speech here. The Ukrainian flag at Bowling Green won’t come down until Ukraine is victorious, and Ukraine will be victorious. Make it happen sooner: keep showing up when it matters.
Yesterday (Sunday, 3/27) Razom co-hosted (along with United Help Ukraine, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, U.S. Ukrainian Activists, and the Renew Democracy Initiative) a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. to commemorate one month of Russia’s merciless invasion of Ukraine. We later met with Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, and Kateryna Smagliy, First Secretary at the Ukrainian Embassy to the US, as a kick off to a round of meetings on the Hill with decision makers this week.
Tuesday, 3/29 at 8pm at Carnegie Hall, Ukrainian-American pianist Irena Portenko will perform an evening of music of resilience and spirituality to benefit the citizens of Ukraine who are fighting for their families, their country, and their lives. All proceeds will go to Razom’s Emergency Response and United Help Ukraine.
All the proceeds from a Charity Gala Event on Sunday, April 3rd at the Oceana Theater in Brooklyn will be going to Razom’s Emergency Response project. The event will be performance-based, with the acts varying from music (performances from KAZKA and Alyosha amongst others), children’s choir and dance, speeches, and video blocks (feat. Okean Elzy, Jamala, and Max Barskih).
April 30th 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!
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and continue to #StandWithUkraine. After one month of war, don’t let apathy set in.
We start this newsletter with a moment of gratitude for all of you, followed by an update on the latest impact stories, and ending with a list of community engagement and advocacy resources.
Dear Razom Community,
From all of us, thank you wholeheartedly every donor for the support of Razom’s work in this trying time of crisis. Your donations are going toward providing critical aid relief, support for displaced persons, and amplifying Ukraine’s story and the voices of Ukrainians. In a couple of months we’ll be able to acknowledge and write to each and every one of you. Your support gives us hope and strength. But right now, we ask for your patience as we work tirelessly to transform your money into support in the right hands in Ukraine.
You can now become a part of the Razom procurement team by buying humanitarian aid items that are urgently needed but not impossible to find off of our Amazon Custom Gift List. Razom volunteers will deliver and sort the items in our New Jersey warehouse with Meest before shipping it out Ukraine.
An Americares donation of the most critically needed hospital supplies has been delivered to the Cancer Institute of Kyiv in Ukraine that includes 9.5 pallets with 921 cases totaling 6,283 pounds of supplies that will be distributed to several more hospitals in Kyiv.
Razom’s procurement of a defibrillator, insulin, and other important medicines like metformin, glimepiride, levothyroxine was delivered to the Ukrainian Diabetes Association in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Luhansk regions. We accomplished this in partnership with volunteers at AWO Ortsverein Reischach – AG and Ukraine-HILFE Berlin e.V.
Razom volunteers have made a total of 7 trips carrying tactical medicine cargo to various volunteer civilian defense corps prioritizing cities and regions where Ukrainians are actively repelling russian occupiers.
Razom has secured 50 drones across the Polish border that will be used to ensure the safe delivery of medical and tactical medical supplies by our volunteers traveling across hotspot areas in Ukraine.
Razom issued a grant to long-time partner BUR (Building Ukraine Together) to support their programs helping internally displaced people in Ukraine by renovating infrastructure, building shelter camps for IDPs, and offering humanitarian aid across Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv. We continue to support and collaborate with them.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who work on the “second front” of this war! None of this impact would have been possible without your unwavering determination to getting the work done.
Medical supplies preparing for shipmentTacmed delivered to a volunteer civilian defense corpAmericares’ DonationRazom volunteers at the sorting warehouse, preparing the next shipment
This week there are a number of events and rallies for you to join to help advocate for Ukraine and/or fundraise for Razom’s Emergency Response Project. We hope to see you there!
Please join Mayor Adams along with the honorable Oleksii Holubov, Ukrainian Consulate General, and Prominent Ukrainians, Ukrainian-Americans and Friends of Ukraine to raise the Ukrainian Flag in Bowling Green Park today, Wednesday, March 23rd at 4:30 pm. The Ukrainian flag will fly every day beside the American flag until Ukraine is victorious and the russian invaders are gone.
Later that same day, join us at Grand Central Terminal at 6:30pm to witness or be a part of a Flash Mob Protest to #SaveMariupol. Mariupol has been under near constant siege for several weeks and seen some of the worst attacks in the war, including deadly strikes on a maternity ward of a hospital, the bombing of a theater housing over a thousand civilians (the losses from which are still unknown), amongst other horrific events. For more details and to become a part of the Flash Mob Protest, please join our Signal group https://bit.ly/SAVEMARIUPOL
Sunday, March 27th will be a National Day of Action to #StandWithUkraine including a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Let’s seize this moment to call on the world to act now to help Ukrainians continue fighting for freedom and democracy and for Ukraine’s right to thrive and survive.
All the proceeds from a Charity Gala Event on Sunday, April 3rd at the Oceana Theater in Brooklyn will be going to Razom’s Emergency Response project. The event will be performance-based, with the acts varying from music (performances from KAZKA and Alyosha amongst others), children’s choir and dance, speeches, and video blocks (feat. Okean Elzy, Jamala, and Max Barskih).
As always, keep in touch with us via this newsletter, our blog, and our social media channels where we share more real-time info you need to know to stand with Ukraine. Consider making a gift to Razom or our partner organizations (like BUR!) for us to continue to do this work. We are awed by your tremendous support.
We’d like to share an important update from our partner Building Ukraine Together (BUR) about how they have adapted their activities to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) since the russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th 2022.
Thousands of displaced families are in need of your help. Schools and community halls are being made available, but there is an immediate need for basic items – beds blankets, cooking utensils, and personal hygiene products. You can support BUR’s work by donating below. As a Razom partner, these donations are 501(c)3 deductible.
Cooperating with organizations to meet the needs of their volunteers who are at the forefront of defending Ukrainian freedom.
Communicating with volunteers who remain in the combat zone about humanitarian needs and evolving situation in the country.
Organizing the logistics of delivering supplies from Lviv to different Ukrainian cities.
In the early days of the full-scale war, Razom issued a $50,000 grant to support this work. Below is an overview of how those funds were used:
Procuring and delivering humanitarian aid – ranging from food, medicines, to sleeping bags – in Lviv, Kharkiv, Skadovsk and Kherson.
Preparing and delivering food for territorial defense units (civilian volunteers) and hospitals in Kharkiv.
Vehicle rentals for the transportation of this aid and evacuations of civilians (specifically from Kharkiv to Dnipro).
Purchasing of chainsaws for territorial defense units (civilian volunteers) and Emergency Services of Kharkiv to dismantle debris from the destruction and rescue people from rubble.
You can find updates from BUR on their social media:
Building Ukraine Together (BUR) is a program of the “Ukrainian Educational Platform“, which creates opportunities for youth to make changes in their country through volunteering. Ukrainian Educational Platform is a charitable organization (2000-2021 – Lviv Education Foundation). It has impacted positive change with more than 10 years of experience in social transformations. They believe in Ukraine, they unite, educate, and support people with leadership potential who create vibrant local communities through volunteer, educational, and social projects.
In this newsletter, you’ll find a bunch of ways to advocate for Ukraine and help make an impact for Ukrainians in active war zones across the country. We’ll also guide you to places where you can discover more amazing Ukrainian culture.
Maybe not all of us can be showing up at Times Square everyday to rally the US to #StandWithUkraine and #CloseTheSky, so Razom bought out a billboard there to remind people about this everyday.
In the meantime, continue to participate in the many advocacy campaigns, rallies, pickets, and events that raise awareness about the devastating destruction happening in Ukraine or showcase Ukrainian culture. We must call on various government bodies, companies, people in power, and the public at large to use their resources to influence positive outcomes in Ukraine and curtail the current humanitarian crisis.
Get out of bed now and make your way to 388 Greenwich St (if you’re in NYC!) to #BoycottRussia at CitiGroup HQ. They’re the US bank with the biggest footprint in Russia and there’s no time for major banks like Citi to continue funding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Here’s a comprehensive list of major brands and corporations that haven’t taken any action to isolate Russia, with an explainer on why it’s important to put pressure on them right now and how to do it.
Not in New York? Get yourself on twitter and participate in the #PlanesForUkraine Twitter Storm this Wednesday morning at 10am EST. You can get all the info and instructions on how to do it here. Hint: it’s ridiculously easy when compared to the kind of impact this advocacy can have.
On Friday night (3/18) Scandinavia House in New York will be screening a 2021 documentary National Museum, about the Ukrainian National Museum in Kyiv exploring what is cherished and revered by Ukrainians. Q&A with director Andrei Zagdansky will follow.
On Saturday night (3/19) you can go to Honey’s in Brooklyn for a Ukraine Fundraising Borscht Dinner and Dance Party where all proceeds from the dinner and donations at the door will go to supporting two charitable orgs in Kharkiv that provide aid for internally displaced persons.
On Sunday (3/20) you can take a fundraising walking tour of Little Ukraine in the East Village. You might run into a Razom volunteer on their way to another working session at our office there.
This weekend (18th – 20th) in New York City you can discover the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival featuring a number of artists currently in Ukraine fighting for their lives and their country. It will happen despite the current challenges with the hope of showcasing Ukrainian artists and music in a time when it matters most. Part of the proceeds will go to Razom.
On Monday (3/21) The Brick Theater in Williamsburg will host Brickflix – Benefit For Ukraine featuring Spoken Word by Yara Arts (sharing work by acclaimed Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan), animated short Denis the Pirate, and film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. The Two Boots Pizza is free and all proceeds will go to Razom.
On Saturday (3/26) the Bohemian Benevolent Literary Association and Diverse Filmmaker Alliance in New York are hosting a benefit screeningofThe Long Breakup, a feature-length documentary on Ukraine’s struggle to escape Russia’s embrace and become a truly independent nation. A Q&A with the director Katya Soldak will follow. All proceeds will go to Razom.
Thanks to your donations, Razom has shipped 144 pallets of the most critical humanitarian aid to Ukraine thus far from the US, Europe, and Canada. If you go to Razom’s Blog you’ll find out about how some of the very first aid shipments of tacmed that we sent in the first days of the war, finally made their way into the hands of Ukrainians in Kyiv, Brovary, Zhytomyr, Poltava, and Sumy.
Please continue to support and raise awareness about this work so that Razom, and the incredible people involved in carrying out our Emergency Response Project, can keep providing critical humanitarian war relief and recovery in Ukraine depending on the most urgent needs as they evolve.
Today a brave group of volunteers delivered much needed tactical medicine supplies to Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine about 30 miles from the Russian border. It’s a city that’s been sustaining shelling and urban fighting since the moment of Russian invasion. Maybe we’ll get an extra hour of sleep knowing that Ukrainian people have the necessary medicine to defend their city.
Meanwhile halfway across the world, a group of Canadian Razom volunteers have built out partnerships and a logistical chain to be able to procure and ship tactical medical supplies from Toronto to Ukraine. They’ve partnered up with the Markham Rotary Club Foundation and NKS Health to fundraise, buy, and ship 13 pallets of tacmed so far. Check out how they do this work in more detail below:
Last but not least, we’ve grown our Razom team of volunteers at the Kryla Nadiyi warehouse in Lviv to 8 people (and soon more), who come to us from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in Ukraine, and who will be working there daily to accept Razom’s aid shipments that are arriving more consistently now. They’re sorting and organizing aid for further distribution so that we can get these supplies into the hands of Ukrainians as fast as humanly possible.
Razom Emergency Response project continues to grow and develop at an incredible speed thanks to the support of our donors and dedicated volunteer network in the US and Ukraine. The war and resulting humanitarian crisis has only continued to escalate over the past week, putting our logistics operation on the ground in Ukraine into stark focus.
The first shipments of humanitarian aid procured by Razom delivered to Berdychiv in Zhytomyr Oblast on March 9th
The reality is that delivering aid past the warehouse of our partners at Kryla Nadiyi in western Ukraine is an extremely difficult task. The very first shipments of tactical medicine (purchased & shipped on day two of the war) made it into the hands of civilian defense corps in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts on March 9th. It was four days later, on March 13th, that more aid made the journey east – this timeby two mini buses heading to Kyiv (including Brovary) and Poltava (with an extra leg to Sumy) oblasts.
Russian forces are actively shelling and endangering transportation infrastructure across the country therefore safe routes are constantly changing. In addition, humanitarian needs on the ground change just as fast, if not faster. Speed and boots on the ground are of the essence. Razom has both, which gives us a unique chance to deliver the aid acquired abroad to the end user in Ukraine, knowing that your donations are in the right hands.
Aid is packed into small vehicles allowing volunteer drivers to maneuver more nimbly. Coordination with civilian defense corps (the ultimate volunteer network in Ukraine today) via satellite phones, which offer the most reliable form of communication, strengthen our logistics chain on the ground in Ukraine. There’s also a verbal verification system in place that ensures volunteers know they’re putting the delivery in safe hands. When available, small civilian drones are another important tool for our volunteers to scope out safe passage routes and share valuable information in real time. These tech enabled emergency response supplies have made a big impact on our volunteers’ ability to work effectively in executing the logistics chain in Ukraine. We are enormously grateful for the brave and trusted group of the people who carry out this work.
Tactical Medical Aid being prepped and loaded for distribution in Ukraine. Markings read “Sumy” and “Poltava”
As we celebrate each and every delivery of humanitarian aid that makes it into the hands of Ukrainians, we continue to follow a repeatable logistics process for procuring and delivering aid from abroad to warehouses in Poland and western Ukraine. Euromaidan Warszawa is our trusted partner in Warsaw that receives shipments procured throughout western Europe and delivers them to western Ukraine. Meest America is delivering shipments procured from the United States directly to Ukraine. So far, approximately $4M has been spent on tactical medical supplies, communications supplies, and logistics support. All of our aid is received in western Ukraine by our partners Kryla Nadiyi (Wings of Hope). They warehouse, sort, and prepare orders of aid that then gets distributed further. A small group of engineers, in collaboration with two Razom volunteers (in the US and Ukraine) have developed an online system to help track requests submitted by a centralized network of civilian defense corps central command. These requests then get cross referenced to active hotspots and prioritized based on safe routes.
The many faces of Kryla Nadiyi volunteers accepting, sorting, and organizing humanitarian aid for distribution across Ukraine
We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and partner organizations who work daily on this project (most days staying up until 4am!) coordinating information, connecting volunteer networks, and helping to take in, protect, and distribute shipments donated through Razom. To our donors, your continued support ensures we can make an impact across more parts of Ukraine. We can’t wait to keep sharing those stories with you as they develop.
Just as we have worked hard to move humanitarian aid such as tactical and hospital medical supplies across borders and into Ukraine, we have simultaneously developed an evacuation system for some of the most vulnerable in times of war – children and children with disabilities. This effort began with children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Razom has been connected to these children through the “Dity, My Vstygnemo” – “Children, We Will Make It” project, launched in 2021 as a civic movement and advocacy campaign to improve healthcare access for Ukrainian children suffering from SMA.
In times of war, children with disabilities need to be evacuated early before they are in danger of missing out on special care and assistance needed to thrive and survive. These children also require an individualized evacuation approach as they are unable to board crowded trains and buses. Moreover, taking care of civilians before their environment becomes an active war zone allows the Ukrainian army to work more efficiently, knowing civilians are out of harm’s way. Therefore we activated our volunteer and partner network immediately when the war began, and to date, have evacuated 30 different families (making up 83 individuals) from nine cities and regions of Ukraine (including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Irpin, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kryvyi Rih).
This has been a complete volunteer effort. A group of 12 Razom volunteers (across US and Ukraine, including 5 drivers) have worked day and night coordinating resources and safe routes for passage to evacuate children and their families from the most dangerous regions in Ukraine towards western Ukraine. We worked with the All Hands And Hearts nonprofit to help procure minivans (we have four of them to date, one of which was privately funded), and have partnered with the Polish SMA Foundation to take care of these children once we get them across the border.
As we continue to scale this project, we’ve also been able to assist families who are driving their children with disabilities out west on their own, to guide them through safe routes. This includes helping them find shelter along the way. Razom has been developing a database of places willing to shelter refugees safely and freely even before the war began.
As we work to obtain more vehicles that will allow us to further expand this project, we are also developing a system whereby minibusses that make their way east are filled with humanitarian aid. Right now, every action we take must have maximum positive impact on lives in Ukraine.
Please consider donating to Razom Emergency Response project for us to continue to scale this operation.
In the fifth installment of this newsletter, you’ll find a Razom Emergency Response project impact story we haven’t yet shared with you – evacuations. You’ll also learn the latest on how to continue to help Ukraine.
Just as we’ve worked hard to move humanitarian aid (tacmed, hospital med) across borders and into Ukraine, we’ve simultaneously developed an evacuation system for some of the most vulnerable in times of war — children and children with disabilities. It started with children with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) that Razom is connected through the “Dity, My Vstygnemo” – “Children, We Will Make It” project, launched in 2021 as a civic movement and advocacy campaign to improve healthcare access for Ukrainian children suffering from SMA.
In times of war, children with disabilities need to be evacuated early before they are in danger of missing out on special care and assistance needed to thrive and survive. Razom (in a group with 12 incredible volunteers across the US and Ukraine) have evacuated children from 9 cities and regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Irpin, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kryvyi Rih.
Our long time partners at BUR are helping to coordinate evacuations on the ground along with the help of Mykola Kuleba. We worked with the All Hands And Hearts nonprofit to help procure minivans, and have partnered with the Polish SMA Foundation to take care of these children once getting them across the border.
Please consider donating to Razom’s Emergency Response project and/or BUR for us to continue to scale this operation.
There are lots of upcoming events and rallies that you can support:
Today, (Thursday March 10th) at 8pm there’s A Benefit For Ukraine hosted by Gogol Bordello at City Winery NYC, with profits going to Come Back Alive Foundation (Povernys’ Zhyvym) in Ukraine.
Bring a blue or yellow umbrella and join a performance protest at Times Square on Saturday, March 12th at 1pm to continue to put pressure on the world to #CloseTheSky in Ukraine.
In Brooklyn on Saturday, March 12th at 1pm there will be a workshop on Ukrainian folk songs led by Asia Mieleszko at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Brooklyn. All are welcome to learn the extraordinary, everyday music of Ukraine’s villages. There’s no knowledge of Ukrainian or music necessary to participate.
In D.C. on Sunday, March 13th, join the Vigil For Ukraine at the White House from 4-8 pm to commemorate the innocent people killed by Russia’s war in Ukraine and honor those who are defending Ukraine right now. As of March 8th, 52 children have been confirmed killed.
On Sunday, March 13th at 5-9pm, Dacha 46, Gertie, and Huertas (with special guest Leah Koenig) combine forces to bring you a Ukrainian Jew-ish feast to help raise funds for Razom’s Emergency Response. 357 Grand Street in NYC.
In New York City on March 18-20th you can discover the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival a platform for the performance and discussion of the complex and unique contributions of Ukrainian composers to contemporary music.
Last, but most certainly not least, your gift to these fundraisers can make an enormous difference for Ukrainians in Ukraine:
Razom’s Emergency Response Project works to deliver only the most urgent humanitarian aid in war torn parts of Ukraine, which includes tactical medical supplies, hospital needs, and supplies that enable the safe and efficient distribution of that aid (like med tactical backpacks, GPS devices, satellite phones, and drones). We are agents of delivery on the ground, funneling humanitarian aid in one direction and evacuating children, children with disabilities, and their families in the opposite direction.
UACC’s fundraiser to export helmets and armory vests to Ukraine and get them in the hands of territorial defense units across key parts of the country urgently needs your support. They’ve been able to ship 660 body armors and 500 helmets thus far.
With the heavy flow of supplies going daily across the ocean to Ukraine, it was only a matter of time until Razom’s partnership with Meest America, Inc. shipping company would require additional support. We are raising money to ensure that the donations you’ve delivered to Meest, that go beyond tacmed and medical supplies, get shipped across the ocean to Ukraine efficiently.
P.S. – we have an urgent volunteer opportunity for TODAY, Thursday 3/10 at our warehouse in New Jersey to sort and pack shipments of humanitarian aid for Ukraine. If you’re able to help, fill out this Volunteer Intake Form asap.
You can mail a check to 140 2nd. Ave., Suite 305, New York, NY, 10003
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Oblast Competitions
In 2018 we’re planning to cover expenses for 30 teams (6 people per team) at Oblast STEM competitions. Total Budget is $4500
Ruslan Batytskyi
Director, writer and cinematographer with three completed award-winning shorts as well as a feature documentary in post-production. After starting his filmmaker career at 2009, Ruslan brings his skills in project management, process analysis and systems models (received during obtaining MA in cybernetics 2003-2008) and applies them to the creative thinking and artistic thought-processes of film. He also holds BA in Film and Television directing (from the Kyiv National University of theatre, cinema and television by Karpenko-Karyi).
“A chance to participate in The Co-Pilot project it’s an amazing opportunity to help others and to tell the story that will engage and inspire people around the world”
2017 Trip Itinerary
We are gearing up for our 2017 Mission trip. It’ll be a 3-month adventure during which we plan to work with neurosurgeons from several centers from all around the country. Dr.Tomycz has also been invited to deliver an address at the annual Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv.
May 20: arrive in Kyiv, Ukraine
May 22-26: meet with area surgeons at participating centers
May 29- June 9: two week master class with Igor Kurilets MD at the International Neurosurgery Center
June 12-13: Visit to Medical Institute of Sumy State University
June 14-16: Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv
June 19-23: one week course and master class operating in complex spine and craniocervical with Ukrainian spinal surgeons and trainees from Romadanov Institute and International Neurosurgery Center
June 24-July 7: Come back to United States for two weeks
July 10-21: two week master class with Dr. Schlegov at the Neurovascular Institute
July 24-August 4: two week master class in pediatric neurosurgery with surgeons at Lviv Children’s Hospital
August 5-18: travel to out-lying centers of excellence (Stryii, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa)
August 21-31: operate with surgeons at Central Military Hospital and International Neurosurgery Center in Kyiv
September 15: leave Ukraine for United States
Surgical Mentors and Medical Support Staff
The best way to train surgeons is by providing hands-on mentorship and assistance in the operating room. One of the primary goals of the Co-Pilot Project is the continued recruitment of high quality surgeons from United States and Canada to spend time with Ukrainian counterparts, consulting on patients and performing procedures.
Surgical Mentors traveling to Ukraine
Jefferson Miley, MD – neurointerventionalist
Jonathan Forbes, MD – skull base neurosurgeon
Matthew Geck, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Not all of the healthcare volunteers will be able to travel to Ukraine but they still will play an important role from home. Utilizing contemporary technology, including live streaming of surgeries and communication via social media the medical support staff will advice and mentor Ukrainian neurosurgeons as they confront difficult cases.
Medical Support Staff
Bido Patel, MD – neuroradiologist
Chandra Krishnan, MD – neuropathologist
Ginger Harrod, MD – neuro-oncologist
Advisory Staff
Tim George, MD – pediatric neurosurgeon
Jim Rose, MD – vascular neurosurgeon
Ryan Murdoch, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Patrick Combs, MD – craniofacial surgeon
Nestor Tomycz, MD – functional neurosurgeon
Aaron Stayman, MD – vascular neurologist
Jim Rutka – pediatric neurosurgeon
Ben Warf – pediatric neurosurgeon
Participating Centers in Ukraine Page
Since our exploratory trip in 2016 we have identified a cohort of motivated and talented surgeons who are hungry for additional instruction and eager for collaboration.
Igor Kurilets, MD (International Neurosurgery Center)
Ivan Protsenko, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Kostiantyn Kostiuk, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Vitali Ganjuk, MD (Central Military Hospital, Kyiv)
Taras Mykytyn, MD (Lviv Children’s Hospital)
Dmytro Shcheglov, MD (Neurovascular Institute)
Luke Tomycz, MD
Dr. Luke Tomycz is the newest addition to the pediatric neurosurgical team at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Tomycz finished first in his high school class of over 200 students and attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA where he double-majored in biology and chemical engineering. He accepted the prestigious Dean’s Full-Tuition Scholarship to attend medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he first developed an interest in neurosurgery. After medical school, he began his formal neurosurgical training at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN where he trained under the late Noel Tulipan, MD, a pioneer in fetal neurosurgery for myelomeningocele. During his seven-year residency, he spent two years obtaining an in-folded fellowship in endovascular surgery, becoming proficient in the treatment of aneurysms, AVMs, Moya-Moya syndrome, and complex dural AV fistulae of adults and children. After this, Dr. Tomycz spent an additional year at Seattle Children’s Hospital performing a large volume of complex epilepsy surgery with Jeff Ojemann, MD. Following an exhaustive job search, Dr.Tomycz was attracted to Austin as the city was in the process of launching a new medical school at the University of Texas.
Dr. Tomycz specializes in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery including brain tumors, epilepsy, Chiari malformation, tethered cord syndrome, CSF shunting, and intracranial endoscopy. As one of the only dual-trained, pediatric and endovascular neurosurgeons in the country, he is particularly interested in Moya-Moya, brain aneurysms and AVMs, arteriovenous fistulae, and other complex neurovascular disorders in children as well as adults. His research interests include the use of engineering innovations to improve treatments for hydrocephalus and he has published on a wide variety of neurosurgical topics. Outside the operating room, Dr. Tomycz enjoys playing guitar and hiking in the mountains. He has travelled extensively to perform neurosurgery and take part in short-term medical mission work – in Cuba, Kenya, Honduras, Ecuador, and Ukraine.
Dr. Tomycz grew up with four grandparents who told stories of their youth and taught their grandchildren the language of their homeland – Ukraine. His parents were both born in refugee camps following the second world war, and came to this country in the early 1950s with virtually nothing. His father excelled in academics and went into medicine, and both Luke and his brother Nestor followed suit, pursuing a career in neurosurgery. During a long period of study and training that lasted more than 15 years, Luke resolved to return to the homeland of his grandparents and provide the kind of high quality care that children receive in the United States.
Mariya Soroka
In 2014 at the peak of protests in the Maidan, Mariya joined several fellow Ukrainians living in New York City to create Razom, a young, energetic, and progressive start-up which seeks to amplify the voice of Ukraine to an American audience. An active member of the board, she is responsible for organizing cultural events as well as cooperating with government representatives, activists, and various civic groups and human rights organizations in support of Ukraine’s quest for democracy.
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Mariya is also heavily involved with fundraising for Razom’s projects via crowdsourcing, charity events, and online petitions. After graduating from Penn State University with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and a dual minor in Entrepreneurship and International Studies, Mariya spent over 5 years in Manhattan working within the content marketing industry. She believes in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world working to rebuild Ukraine one project at a time.
Mariana Magala
Mariana Magala was born in Lviv, Ukraine. She graduated from The University of Chicago in 2013 and holds a B.A. in Economics and Slavic Languages and Literature. Currently, Mariana is a Strategic Analytics Manager at Interline Brands (subsidiary of The Home Depot) in Jacksonville, Florida. She specializes in analytics, business strategy, and nonprofit development. Mariana was the co-chair of a pro-bono consulting group for nonprofits in Chicago for 3 years and is currently the treasurer for a young professionals group at MOSH (Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville).
Mariana joined Razom’s Neurosurgical initiative in 2016. She is very excited to collaborate with the team and develop the initiative into a highly successful program.
