How we’re advocating, and more, for Ukrainian victory!

Published: March 15, 2023   

Our regularly scheduled updates on major programs below, but also a spotlight on Advocacy and the amazing cultural events happening this season. 

Dear Razom community,

In each newsletter, we try to share with you how your support impacts our programs for first responders and defenders on the frontline, the strained healthcare system, and the work of NGOs across Ukraine.  You’ll still see those updates below, but a year into the war, we see how it has become even more important for Razom to advocate for Ukraine on multiple fronts, whether at the Oscars, Congress, or your inbox. 

Razom sponsored the travel and stay in LA over the past week of four Ukrainian team members from the Danish-Ukrainian co-production A House Made of Splinters, a documentary film nominated for this year’s Oscars.  Shot in 2019-2020, the film follows the life inside a halfway home for children whose parents aren’t capable of taking care of them near the frontlines in Lysychansk, Ukraine (a town currently under russian occupation, after which the shelter was damaged by a missile strike).  As some parents succumb to the consequences of life in a region devastated by yearslong war, you get a rare and deeply touching glimpse at their children, who become larger than life heroes in a fight for their own happiness, childhood, and right to feel a family’s love.  It’s the children’s hope and wisdom that captured us, so when we had the opportunity to support Azad Safarov (Assistant Director and Line Producer), Olena Rozavodovska (Project Coordinator and Co-Founder along with Azad of Voices of Children), and the incredible caretakers in the film Marharyta Mykolaivna and Olga Viktorivna on their working trip to the US, we signed on.

Not only did they represent Ukraine at the Oscars, but they spent every day giving interviews to national and international media raising awareness about russia’s crimes against Ukrainian children and their families during this war — those killed, abducted, and countless of their families, homes, and schools destroyed.  You can learn more about the planned policy of deportation of Ukrainian children, a direct violation of the Genocide Convention, here, via a Twitter Space hosted by Razom Advocacy.  You can watch A House Made of Splinters on Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime, you will not regret it.

Our team at Razom Advocacy continues its hard work advocating for Ukraine by holding high level meetings with government officials, conducting diverse research projects to support policy advancement, and doing outreach on social and traditional media to elevate Ukrainian experts and voices. So far this year, we’ve had over 20 face to face meetings across the legislative and executive branches, and we’re just getting started.

The Advocacy team invites you to join all of us at Razom at the Ukraine Action Summit on April 23-25, 2023 to advocate in person in Washington D.C.  It’s the American Coalition for Ukraine’s 2nd Ukraine Action Summit consisting of advocacy workshops and trainings alongside Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill, where you’ll speak directly to lawmakers about Ukraine.  Learn more and register here.  During last year’s summit, participants joined 150 meetings with representatives from 30 states and 110 Congressional districts – help us surpass that record this year!

Register Here

Here’s a bit more about what Advocacy is doing to bring Ukraine closer to victory – and how you can help.

  • Contact your representative! Constituent voices are an integral part of how lawmakers decide what bills to support – and Ukraine needs you. Our current campaign is pushing for the passage of the HARM Act: learn more.  Plus, check out the Renew Democracy Initiative’s Hold russia Accountable campaign.
  • Follow us on Twitter and join us weekly on Fridays at 1pm EST for Twitter Spaces about Ukraine. This week’s topic: nine years since russia’s annexation of Crimea.
  • You can always learn more about the situation in Ukraine through our research reports on our website.  Currently you’ll find info on ecocide, food security, & the Wagner Group during this war, and can read our latest op-ed: “Don’t Believe the Hype – Bipartisan Support for Ukraine Remains Strong in Congress”

Everyday Razom is grateful for the incredible community of donors that have come together consistently (and creatively!) to fundraise in support of Ukraine.  We are proud to work with teams across the world to bring a diversity of programs and projects for you to connect with that have a direct impact on the lives of Ukrainians fighting a war on multiple fronts, the outcome of which will shape the century to come for all of us.

So when a generous donor from the states requested that their gift be used specifically to impact Ukrainian Defenders, our team put that money towards procuring and delivering 41 Motorola radios, 1 mobile shower/laundry, and 5 pickup trucks into the hands of battalions near the front line. The specialized mobile baths are a recent innovation manufactured right in Ukraine, supporting the local economy, while the cars were prepped by our team (including painting the initials of the donor’s father on every pickup) for medical evacuations.  Check out the photos below of the soldiers taking the time to offer proper thanks by sending a gift of their own from Ukraine to the US. 

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Our team at Razom Health continues to be busy connecting the resources of our generous partners and in-kind donors to healthcare institutions with the greatest need across Ukraine, as well as gearing up for its next medical missions.  Here’s the latest:

  • Some folks from Hearthstone Care based out of the Catskills in New York collected and helped transport a 53 foot-long container of medical beds and other durable medical equipment that we’ll ship and distribute to medical facilities across Ukraine.
  • As missile strikes continue to terrorize Ukrainian civilians across the country (just last week 81 were launched into every region of Ukraine), providing vital medications and medical supplies continues to be a need that Razom is able to address.  Last week, another in-kind donation from our partners CMMB got distributed in Ukraine. 
  • Photos of medical professionals wearing their brand new FIGS keep coming our way, this time from Ivano-Frankivsk, Sumy, and Odesa.  FIGS deserves another special shoutout as they’ve been, and are committed to continuing, taking part in our medical missions like the upcoming Leap Global Missions, Face the Future, Face to Face, and Neurosurgeon medical trips throughout March, April, and May by providing the necessary medical scrubs for all of the American and Ukrainian surgeons and nurses taking part.
  • Partnering with four different US Medical Doctors Associations, Razom has organized four medical missions (so far!) for this spring as part of our Co-Pilot Project that aims to raise the level of medical and surgical care in Ukraine through trips by American physicians to exchange their expertise, and the provision of critical equipment aimed at building programs.  You can learn about our most recent medical mission trip with AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) in the “Face to Face” that offers Ukrainians, military and civilians alike, extremely complex reconstructive surgeries and a chance to have a normal life.  Consider donating to support more of this work with Razom here.

Our team at Razom Relief continues to find, vet, and accelerate the impact of Ukrainian NGOs and grassroots aid initiatives across much of Ukraine whose ability to quickly step in to provide critical humanitarian support is unparalleled.  Below a round-up of some recent initiatives:

  • Kyiv-based volunteer group Yangoly UA organized a movement called “Brave to Rebuild” and is leveraging support from Razom, Epicenter K, World Central Kitchen, and other local Ukrainian businesses & organizations to restore several damaged buildings at once.  Led by a group of students in Kyiv after the de-occupation of nearby suburbs, they’ve organized over 1,500 volunteers (taking time between classes or on the weekends) in the past year to help clear debris and patch up buildings impacted by russia’s terrorist missile campaign.  Sometimes they’ll collaborate with BUR (Building Ukraine Together), a Razom Partner since 2016 that runs youth camps that rebuild and repair homes for displaced Ukrainians. 
  • In Summer 2022, VAAD Ukraine (the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine), started a psychological recovery program for women and children called “Renewal During the War.”  Razom supported the 31st and 32nd camps (run in 2023) of the program, where in each, around 40 women and children got together for three weeks in safe corner of Ukraine to participate in individual and group therapy, art therapy and various creative classes. 
  • A volunteer group called “Oops, Life In My City” successfully repaired and equipped a bomb shelter in a school in the city of Chernihiv thanks to Razom’s support.  Border towns and cities in Ukraine are subjected to russian shelling almost daily, forcing those who refuse to leave behind their homes, to hide in bomb shelters.  There are many such groups in Ukraine doing this work that Razom has been supporting for nearly a year now.

There are lots of excellent events happening across the US right now that bring special opportunities to connect with Ukrainian artists and culture and you can find our shortlist of them on our website.  Below is a round up of a few we want to bring to your attention.

You do not want to miss this.  Serhiy Zhadan, one of Ukraine’s most celebrated writers and a longstanding partner of Razom, is in the US on a big tour (he’s likely doing poetry readings in a city near you this week) is taking part in a special week of performances at La MaMa in NYC with Yara Arts Group.  Get your tickets here.

Attention film lovers!  Once you’re done streaming A House Made of Splinters, you’ve got at least 9 other films you can watch through Ukrainian eyes thanks to the Cleveland International Film Festival later this month.  Here’s a list of the 8 features, 10 shorts, and 3 Razom supported projects we recommend: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpllL41vLmr/  

You’ll definitely see us at the “Art in Time of War: Celebrating the Resilience of Ukrainian Culture” event at Low Library on March 27th.  Hosted by The Harriman Institute & The President’s Office of Columbia University, you’ll get an opening address from Razom’s CEO Dora Chomiak, poetry, film, music, followed by a panel discussion and reception.  Secure your tickets here.

We are so excited to be one of the sponsors of the “i am u are” Ukrainian Creators Fair in NYC March 24-26th!  Come meet and support the modern creative industry of Ukraine — its culture, technology, art & design have always been here and are here to stay.  Learn more and secure your tickets ASAP here.

As always, thank you for standing with Ukraine, for spreading the word about the amazing work featured all throughout this newsletter, and for joining us.

#stayrazom

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How we’re working together towards victory in 2023

Published: February 15, 2023   

Razom is multifaceted support for Ukraine: to stop the shelling (Advocacy), to stop the bleeding (delivering Tactical Medicine), to keep people alive (at Hospitals), to keep Ukrainians connected (with radios, generators), to connect the world to Ukraine (with you).  We are committed to victory.

Dear Razom community,

This is our first newsletter of the year and it’s been too long since the last, so you will see a lot of updates from us in this edition.  After our year-end holiday fundraising drive (we raised over $8MM, you are all absolutely incredible), the Razom team decided to take stock of its work and impact in 2022 to effectively plan for 2023 (while still delivering on our programs).  To do this required comprehending the sheer scale and length of this war, which at times feels like a herculean effort.  So does thinking it will go on for another day, and another.

In the span of nearly one year, Ukrainian Armed Forces, perhaps the most diverse army in the world today (made up of professionals, musicians, ballet dancers, olympic athletes, history teachers, journalists, volunteers, sons & daughters and moms & dads… did you know that 1 in 6 people in the Ukrainian army are women?) have defended Ukraine and freedom against an imperialistic, genocidal power with massive consequences.  Razom has supported these First Responders and Defenders from the start, and will continue to do so.  

In the span of nearly an entire year, Ukraine’s healthcare system has withstood extreme pressure and strain that has risked and scarred the lives of countless individuals across the country as this war is not only impacted on the battlefield, but in the systematic bombing of hospitals, schools, malls, theaters, apartment buildings, homes, key water and energy infrastructure, and more.  Razom has supported doctors and hospitals in the hottest regions across Ukraine from the start, and will continue to do so.  

In the span of nearly an entire year, there’s been a renaissance of NGOs in Ukraine that have stepped up in incredible ways (much like during the Maidan of 2013-2014 when Razom itself was born) supporting a vibrant civil society.  Razom has supported these grassroots organizations in Ukraine from the start, and will continue to do so. 

All of these targeted efforts on their own, save lives, and when put all together, move Ukraine forward in winning this illegal war.  Ukrainians have resisted and beat back this horror for 356 days now, but need your continued support today as ever before.  Every time you donate, forward this to a friend, repost and tweet, call your representatives, rally, engage with the things that Ukrainians create – you become a part of the resistance and the victory.

In just the first half of February, Razom teams delivered a total of 132 orders to First Responders and Defenders, most of them in the east of Ukraine. We also transferred 4500 IFAKs to a major military unit so that they can be deployed quickly in case of an escalated assault on the one year anniversary of the full-scale invasion. In the months of December, January, and part of February, Razom fulfilled 641 orders (out of 745 which also went to medical facilities and NGOs) of tactical medicine and communications equipment to First Responders and Defenders.  We constantly monitor requests so we can respond quickly with the supplies needed most that save lives.

Our team in Ukraine also launched an innovative collaboration to provide meals-ready-to-eat (MRE) that are made in Ukraine. We’ll share more in our next newsletter issue, but you can preview it here Проект «Космічний харч» – Razom (razomforukraine.org).

Each order makes it to the end user thanks to the effort of many hands. We are streamlining our processes so we can keep getting more efficient. Our Razom office in Lviv today was busy with people processing paperwork on deliveries that have gone out this week and preparing the next shipments.

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Our support for the Ukrainian healthcare system is formalized under the project Razom Health, whose activities have evolved into a diverse set of programs and strategic partnerships designed to not only support the system during wartime, but strengthen medical care in Ukraine for the future in line with Razom’s mission.  Here is a spotlight of some of our work over the past two months in gathering medical supplies, planning out the logistics of their delivery, and coordinating medical missions:

  • With grants from Americares and others, Razom Health was able to cover the costs of procuring, delivering, and installing backup hospital grade power generators and winterization equipment.  So far three out of eleven generators have been installed (which includes training Ukrainian medical workers to use the equipment) and three oil heaters delivered in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine.
  • Thanks to a grant and your generous donations, Razom Health was able to procure, set up, and distribute (with some still in transit to our warehouse in Ukraine) over 120 portable Butterfly ultrasounds so that doctors and paramedics on the front lines of the war can diagnose and treat patients faster, more accurately, and in a non-invasive way in wartime conditions.
  • In partnership with our friends and distribution partners Zdorovi in Ukraine, an anesthesia machine from Partners for World Health was delivered to a hospital in Dnipro.
  • In the aftermath of traumatic injuries caused by the war, many Ukrainian civilians are in need of durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches.  Razom’s team of drivers continue to deliver these items (donated as a three-part installment from the Afya Foundation) to hospitals, rehab facilities, and nursing homes throughout Ukraine. In December, they made it to the Veterans Hospital in Kropyvnytskyi and Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro.
  • In partnership with Marsh Zhinok in Ukraine, who distributes prenatal vitamins as part of baby boxes for pregnant women, those who have just given birth, as well as women who are breastfeeding, we’ve been able to deliver 6 pallets of prenatal vitamins that will reach women in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions. 
  • Over the holidays and well into the new year, our team has been distributing brand new scrubs from FIGS to boost the spirits of overburdened Ukrainian healthcare workers across the country.

Our Razom Grants project aims to support civil society at the most local levels across Ukraine.  Non-governmental organizations, of which there are over 120 now that have received grants, address hyper local problems in regions that suffer most as a result of the war.  During this winter season, our focus has been on electricity (which can be connectivity for school children, or warmth for the displaced and people in need) and basic humanitarian aid to regions in Ukraine that are experiencing the most extreme violence and destruction, i.e. closest to the front.

As of today, our team of drivers in partnership with our grantees have distributed 87 generators and 46 charging stations across Ukraine.  They are largely for shelters, “Resilience Points,” humanitarian aid hubs, and institutions like PEN Ukraine International and Ukrainian Institute Kyiv.  For example with Volonterska UA, we enabled them to deliver 14 generators as part of their goal to distribute them to every de-occupied village in the Kharkiv region where there is still no electricity.  They were installed in village councils, administrative premises, medical stations, lyceums, cultural centers, hospitals, and more.

To get a sense of what life is like for civilians in de-occupied territories or towns that are on the front lines, one needs look no further than Bakhmut in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine [read our long-form blog post here].  Check out video footage from our grantees at Ukrainian Charity Alliance delivering aid there.  One woman shares, “Along with the packages of humanitarian aid that you all deliver, you’re also delivering faith in that we are one Ukraine and that we are not forgotten.” 

As we look ahead to the challenges in front of us, Razom has taken steps to systematize and scale our organization in order to better serve our mission, our projects, our donors, and our engagement with volunteers. For eight years Razom was a fully volunteer-run organization. In 2022, we started building a volunteer-driven organization with strong institutional support. Today this means transforming our Board into a governance board, compensating our CEO, and building out a full-time and part-time staff to support our programs sustainably. This month, we are also beginning our first-ever independent financial audit and continue to improve our systems and processes. 

As we approach the one year mark of the full-scale invasion and of the intense sprint of our work together, we invite you to join people around the world to rally in support of Ukraine on Saturday, February 25th.  We’re keeping a running list of rallies here, and if you’d like to get your city, town, or village added to it, please reply to this email.  It’s vital to continue putting pressure on our governments and public to not be bystanders to the atrocity in Ukraine, to “defend the international legal order and peace project of the EU, to end an era of empire and weaken the prestige of tyrants around the world, and remind each other that democracy is the better system.”  The list is a lot longer than that, and you can learn more here thanks to Timothy Snyder, a historian who specializes in the modern history of Central and Eastern Europe.

If you can make it to D.C. join us there, but it’s just as important to show up in your local communities too.  We’re tracking those rallies here: https://www.razomforukraine.org/marking-365-days-of-resilience/

To stay up to date on Razom Advocacy’s work, including information on every single campaign we’re running, register to be an advocate here.  Currently we’re prioritizing continuous military and economic support for Ukraine, and the designation of Wagner as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.   

Join our advocates network to get the latest news from our Advocacy Team here: https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMFORUKRAINE/Register
There’s power in understanding key policy towards Ukraine to stay active and engaged with a war that’s impacted so many of us. 

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter and hopefully passing it on, calling your representatives, joining us at events and rallies, and generously donating to our projects, and for showing your support for Ukraine.  Stay razom (together).

P.S. –  The 2022 tax receipts have now been sent out either by email or mail for donations totalling over $250 (please check your mailbox for the subject “Thank you for donating to Razom!”).  If you have not received it, we might not have had your email or address, so please email us at donations@razomforukraine.org with “Tax Receipt” in the subject line and include your name and method of your donation.  

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Holiday Wishes from Razom

Published: December 22, 2022   

Dear Razom community,

Words cannot fully express our gratitude for staying razom (together) this year.  We wish you and your families a happy holiday season and we send our heartfelt thanks for your support.  If you’re looking for ways to continue to engage with Ukraine over the holidays, we’d like you to consider these ideas:

  1. After President Zalensky’s historic visit and speech to a joint session Congress, reach out to your representatives today and tomorrow to call on them to schedule a vote on H.Res.1205, which would recognize russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide.  Follow this link to easily email, call, and tweet your Members of Congress.
  2. Join our year end giving campaign to help Ukrainians get through this winter.  With your support, we can keep Ukrainians alive and connected to each other by providing additional portable heat and power sources.  Visit our Donations Page for more info, including how to get your employer to match your gift this year.  Our donations team is also here to help, just email: donations@razomforukraine.org. 
  3. If you’re still working through your gift shopping list, consider buying something made in Ukraine to support Ukraine’s economy and those who are creating through extraordinary circumstances.  Razom rounded up a personal Holiday Gift Guide for some ideas.  
  4. Plan ahead for the remainder of December and into January with events that support Ukraine and Ukrainian culture.  Razom hosts a calendar page on its website listing the best events happening across the U.S. and sometimes the world.  If you’re in New York on Friday, December 30th join us at the Brooklyn Bowl at 7:30PM to raise up the spirit of Ukrainian resistance with Gogol Bordello, featuring an opening set by DJ Daria Kolomiec and balaklava blues from Toronto.  It’s going to be epic!
  5. Make your own Ukrainian cocktail for the holiday celebration you’re planning.  Javelin, a super-premium vodka donating 100% of it’s proceeds to support the people of Ukraine through Razom, created a Winter Mule recipe for us.  Check it out below.

Join us in contacting our Members of Congress now: https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMFORUKRAINE/Campaigns/98795/Respond

russia has weaponized winter in Ukraine by targeting power grids and energy infrastructure all over the country, Razom is working to help as many defenders, first-responders, hospitals, and civilians as we can get through this extremely difficult time.  Your donation today, can help us scale. 

The Razom Holiday Gift Guide is a curated a list of Ukrainian brands and made-in-Ukraine products that will serve as a wonderful gift for your loved ones, and will support those who are still creating, doing and representing Ukraine. They are working through extraordinary times, and we have the power to support them in the process.

We keep track of a list of upcoming events at https://www.razomforukraine.org/calendar/ where you can find the best events to support Ukraine and Ukrainian culture around the country.  If you’re in NYC, we’ll see you at the Gogol Bordello concert presenting Ukrainian NYC Unite Eve on 12/30 @ 7:30PM!

If you’re going to celebrate this holiday season, consider making a Winter Mule using Javelin vodka who’s donating 100% of its proceeds to Razom to help Ukrainians get through the winter. 
2 oz Javelin
1/2 oz lemon 
1/2 oz pomegranate juice
Add all ingredients to drinking glass, add ice and top with ginger beer, add sprig of rosemary and lemon wheel
Будьмо!

This past weekend, with the onset of the holiday season, we wanted to recognize the hard work of our volunteers by hosting two Volunteer Appreciation Events — one virtual event to welcome all of our volunteers across countries and continents, and one in-person event inside the Ukrainian National Home in NYC’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood featuring many warm hugs and words of gratitude.  Razom is a community.  We love working, learning, and growing together.  This holiday season, we’re thankful for the opportunity to be with all of Razom’s dedicated volunteers and supporters across different mediums and platforms to continue doing good work for Ukraine.

May you find peace and joy this season, and may Ukraine prevail soon! 

Donate Now


 

What we’ve been able to accomplish towards winter preparedness so far

Published: December 16, 2022   

The continuous targeting of Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the beginning of October has highlighted that energy supply isn’t just a winter issue, but a continuous wartime issue that has ripple effects across every aspect of life in Ukraine.  We look at our team, our volunteers, our working partners, and people in Ukraine persevering during the darkest and harshest period since the full-scale invasion, and we want to do more as soon as possible.  This week, updates on how we’ve been able to respond thus far.

Dear Razom community,

In the span of only 2.5 months, over 9,000 of you made a donation to Razom to make it possible for us to do everything in our power to get Ukraine closer to victory.  These days it’s meant delivering humanitarian aid that can save lives during a cold winter and constant electricity outages.  Today we want to report on that work as it impacts the work of defenders and first-responders, hospitals, and local civil society groups providing basic aid to internally displaced people in Ukraine.

We have already supplied the majority of first responder units on the frontlines, at least once.  Between now and October, we have delivered 400 wood burning portable stoves, 7,500 freeze dried meals, and over 2,500 pieces of warm tactical clothing to our Ukrainian defenders and first responders.  This is on top of our regular deliveries of IFAKs and communications equipment.

Most important during this time period have been our deliveries of 161 generators and 112 Ecoflow or Bluetti portable power stations to the frontlines.  Having electricity means having connectivity, and in war time, accessing and disseminating information can be the difference between life and death.  All of this aid has so far reached Bahmut, Kharkiv, and Kherson only — regions with the most brutal and consistent violence and destruction.

Since the first days of the invasion, Razom has been developing its own ERP system, enterprise resource planning software called Ozero to ensure effective accounting of the humanitarian aid we procure, ship and deliver between our warehouses and the final destination of aid in the hands of battalions, first responder units, and hospitals across Ukraine.  Our team of programmers and logistics managers have been refining the software so that today Ozero is used by six other organizations to track their aid in Ukraine!  In fact, if you’re an organization working to distribute aid on the ground, feel free to reach out to us to learn about how you can gain access to our Razom-made software.

The Razom Health team (formerly referred to as the Hospitals Team) won a $250,000 grant from Americares to supply generators to hospitals.  It’s one of the biggest grants we’ve received to date!

Hospital generators are differentiated by their much higher power capacity — they can’t power up an entire facility, but they can support individual units like ICUs and operating rooms.  With this grant, we’ve purchased enough to be able to supply 11 hospitals in Ukraine with reserve generators that provide between 20-80kW of power, supporting specific departments within the hospital.  These hospitals are in Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa regions, places that are dealing with high inflow of patients and where the risks of power disruptions and difficulties of restoring electricity supply are the greatest.  

In an aim to support Ukraine’s institutions and local economy, the Razom Health team utilized an open source government e-tender system, ProZorro, to ensure maximum transparently in our purchasing process.  The bid that won out includes Turkish manufacturers and Ukrainian distributors.  ProZorro was implemented in 2016 and has since been globally recognized as one of the most innovative public procurement systems delivering government services in a stakeholder-focused, transparent, effective, fair and low-cost way.

We can’t wait to share with you photos and videos of those generators in the right hands as soon as they get delivered and installed!

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Last but not least, the Razom Grants team has already delivered 90 generators that will be distributed by our grantees to power places (many in Kharkiv) where Ukrainians can gather to charge their devices and get warm.  Some of these places are shelters or heating zones over 3,200 sq ft in size, and across Ukraine they’re referred to as “Points of Invincibility.”   Razom has worked to support over 100 different NGOs in Ukraine to uplift the extremely active civil society groups that organized after the invasion to help people in need.  Below are a few of the groups we’re supporting in this project:

  • Stezhka Dodomu (The Way Home) runs a shelter for victims of domestic violence in the Odessa region.  When the full scale invasion broke out, they were extremely active in helping IDPs while continuing to run their shelter, which now also includes low-income families, children who were forced to leave their homes because of the war, and senior citizens. 
  • Volonterska UA a consistent Razom Grantee based out of Kharkiv that has identified over 14 “Points of Invincibility,” heating spots across deoccupied areas in the region.   
  • A Kindergarten turned shelter whose main mechanism of preparing food is via induction stove, requiring electricity to cook.
  • Korsakiv Center of Contemporary Ukrainian Art turned shelter in Lutsk that offers frequent art, craft, yoga, breathing, dancing, and performing arts workshops for kids and adults.  It also operates next to Adrenalin City, a mall in Lutsk that’s been converted into a massive shelter. 

There are a number of amazing projects you can support that will bring you closer with Ukrainian culture, art, and history.  Below is a roundup of some of those events and fundraising opportunities.  Moving forward, you’ll also be able to catch the most up to date schedule of events and creative fundraising campaigns on our website here.

In Washinton, D.C.:

  • On Friday, December 16, 8PM, the Music Director Cynthia Woods and the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra present Holiday Pops 2022 at the Robbins Memorial Town Hall in Arlington, VA.  A festive, glamorous night out with holiday favorites including Sleigh Ride and the world premiere of Scrooge: A Christmas Overture by composer Donald Fraser—featuring Vira Slywotzky, soprano.  Get your tickets here!

In New York:

  • On Friday, January 20, 8-10PM Plast Chornomovtsi and Chornomorski Khvyli present Newark Deb Pub Night with an open bar at Lys Mykyta in NYC.  You can get your tickets on presale or at the door.  More info here (all proceeds go to Razom!).  
  • Between now and January 19, 81 Leonard Gallery is pleased to present PAUSE: Lucky Charms, a solo exhibition of recent paintings by Ukrainian-American artist Christina Saj.  The exhibitionexplores the perception of magic implicit in talismans and symbols as well as the ontological nature of spirituality.  The artwork is also available for purchase online.  40% of proceeds from the exhibit will be donated to Razom!   
  • On Saturday, February 4, 8PM at Opera America in NYC, contralto Vira Slywotzky and pianist & composer Dina Pruzhansky present This American Life, a performance of classical, popular, and folk songs from the US and Ukraine.  Email virasly@razomforukraine.org to reserve seats.
    • You can catch the performance in New Haven, CT on Sunday, January 22 at 5PM at Bethesda Lutheran Church, and in Hudson, NY on Friday, February 10 at 7PM too at Hudson Hall! 

In Massachusetts:

In Florida:

  • Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine!  The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home.  The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:

Online:

  • Stream a historic performance of the National Ballet of Ukraine from Orlando, FL at the prestigious Steinmetz Hall on August 27, 2022, and donate to help raise humanitarian aid for Ukrainian children and families.  The National Ballet of Ukraine is considered one of the top ranked ballet companies in the world.  Cozy up with your friends and loved ones and watch a special performance that affirms the power of art and beauty over tyranny and destruction.
  • Awethentic Gallery’s latest charity campaign, Prints for Ukraine, features a variety of artworks from award-winning journalists and photographers across the world, including Mykhaylo Palinchak who served as the official photographer of the President of Ukraine; Emmy-nominated journalist Laurel Chor and renowned documentary photographer, Natalie Keyssar.  All artworks are $150 and 100% of net proceeds of prints go directly to our artists and critical humanitarian war relief charities Razom and World Central Kitchen.  

Globally: 

  • Started by a Ukrainian yoga teacher, Yoga4Ukraine aims to bring together 1,000 yoga teachers all around the world that each donate ONE yoga class!  Any style, any format, anywhere, anytime. Visit  www.yoga4ukraine.com  to officially become a part of the Yoga4Ukraine project or find a class near you, and get your Yoga4Ukraine t-shirt to support the initiative today.  All donations will benefit United24 and Razom.  

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, sharing it, generously donating to our projects, and for showing your support for Ukraine.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

P.S. – This time of year a lot of companies are offering matching options for your donations throughout the year.  Make sure to take advantage of that!  If you have any questions, please reach out to donations@razomforukraine.org.  

Donate to Razom

Giving Tuesday to Support Ukraine

Published: November 29, 2022   

Dear Friend of Razom,

Whether you are new to us, or are a long-time supporter, you are a vital part of our work.  Your generous contributions since the full-scale attack on Ukraine 280 days ago, have allowed us to save lives by providing critical medical and humanitarian aid, expanding the scope of our activities, and amplifying the voices of Ukrainians around the globe.  We are immensely grateful for your donations (and volunteerism) that have made this work possible at scale.  

What has your support resulted in? 

We’ve shipped and distributed over $35 million of medical materials to Ukraine, provided tens of thousands of meals and groceries to the internally displaced, and evacuated critically ill patients and their families.  We organized over 40 rallies in NYC alone, and in the fall, we helped organize the Ukraine Action Summit, a fly-in event in Washington, D.C. where 300 constituents met with 176 Congressional offices. 

And that’s not everything.  Razom is now more determined than ever to keep people connected to Ukraine and connected in Ukraine to meet new needs and solve challenges as they arise.

As Ukraine settles into a dark and cold winter and its civilian infrastructure is being pummeled by missiles at a rate not yet seen since the start of the invasion, the urgency of these times keeps our purpose sharp.  So on this #GivingTuesday, we ask that you donate to our general fund to help us urgently deliver generators, power-banks, and wood-burning stoves to the frontlines, hospitals, and civilian warming stations.  

Help us keep Ukrainians alive and connected to each other by donating to provide additional portable heat and power sources.

Donate to winter-preparedness

During this holiday season, we also invite you to consider donating to two other special projects from Razom that offer support and purpose for the children of Ukraine.  The first is an organized trip to New York City for 55 choir children from Kyiv to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of the Notes From Ukraine concert.  The historic event on December 4th will benefit the United 24 government fundraising platform to reconstruct public services in Ukraine.  As part of their trip, they will advocate for Ukraine through song and their personal stories, via scheduled interviews for national news outlets and opportunities to meet with diplomats from many nations.  As Ukraine’s future, these children have a unique opportunity to take part in cultural diplomacy for Ukraine, all while practicing for their performance and taking in the sights of NYC.  A $250 donation will cover one child’s day in New York.  You can donate here or on facebook.

The second project is the Razom Toy Drive, one of our earliest (started in May 2014) that provides assistance to orphaned children in Ukraine, whose father or mother, or in some cases both, died defending Ukraine by sending school essentials, birthday and holiday presents, and other humanitarian assistance their way.  Right now, we are raising money to gift the children portable power banks with LED lights as many of them currently live without electricity and are regularly forced to hide in dark bomb shelters and basements.  You can donate here or on facebook.  

We are Ukraine: resilient, determined, and motivated.  It is our privilege to fight and rise together every day.  Thank you for your help in this valiant struggle, and let’s continue to work RAZOM (together) for Ukraine! 

Donate to winter-preparedness
Donate to the choir children
Donate to Razom Toy Drive

Newsletter #32: Check out a new initiative, Razom Toy Drive

Published: November 18, 2022   

This week, the first snowfall, the largest barrage of missiles to date targeting civilian infrastructure, recurring blackouts across many parts of Ukraine, and uncovering the devastation left behind in newly liberated Ukrainian territories, have become the new normal for Ukrainians.  However their resolve, and ours, is stronger than ever.  Just watch the video of a Kyiv Children’s Choir “Shchedryk” rehearsing for their upcoming Dec 4th performance at Carnegie Hall in the dark, in a bomb shelter, during air raid sirens. 

Dear Razom community,

In the past few weeks you’ve had a chance to learn about Razom projects beyond our Emergency Response Project that’s been running nonstop since Feb 24th delivering critical humanitarian aid to the most in-need parts of Ukraine.  Make no mistake, this remains our top priority, especially as the situation on the ground shifts with winter here and more infrastructure than ever before having been destroyed.  Delivering aid that provides electricity or warmth, saves lives in Ukraine today,so please continue to support that work.  

However there are so many other ways Ukraine is being effected by this relentless, brutal war.  Today there are thousands of orphaned children in Ukraine, whose father or mother, or in some cases both, died defending Ukraine.Razom Toy Drive, one of our earliest projects started in May 2014, provides assistance to these children by sending school essentials, birthday and holiday presents (including toys!), and other humanitarian assistance their way every year since 2014.

In the past couple of weeks, our volunteers sent 130 high-quality winter coats to 130 of these kids.  But as the holiday season approaches, we’d like to call upon your help to bring some peace and joy to children of war in Ukraine.  Donate here or here to support Razom Toy Drive to expand the pool of children we can help, and gift them a portable power bank with a LED flashlight.  In their world of rolling blackouts and hiding in bomb shelters and basements during regular air-raids across Ukraine, this $30 gadget will go a long way for the darkest nights before Ukraine’s victory.

Support Razom Toy Drive

Razom has combined fundraising efforts with Nova Ukraine to ensure we can invest $120,000 to help buy a “Kovcheg,” an armored all-terrain vehicle, for the Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH) as soon as possible.  Over the past eight years, since russia’s invasion in 2014, PFVMH became known as “angels in white coats,” 500+ physicians, paramedics, and support staff as volunteers providing medical care on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.  They operate on the wounded and sew them on the way to base hospitals.

For the last 6 months (May-October) PFVMH treated (extracted, stabilized and evacuated to the base hospitals) 3,563 patients in the Donbas region alone.

PFVMH has always acted in the hottest zones.  From the first days of the active counteroffensive in Kharkiv region, they’ve followed Dyke Pole 518 Special Military Unit in Balakliya, Hrushivka, Husarivka and other villages.  Now they are also treating people in Bakhmut and in a recently liberated Lyman.

The Razom Grants project has supported this group for many months now, helping them get tactical medicine, vehicles and fuel, a portable x-ray, and now, let’s help them secure a Kovcheg!   It costs $250,000 (already a reduced price) and because Kovcheg is in Ukraine, it can be purchased quickly and without any additional charges (customs fees etc).  PFVMH already has everything needed to transform the vehicle into a stabilization center. 

Donate on facebook or by clicking the button below that’ll take you to our website.

Help Us Buy a Kovcheg

In the meantime, below are some of our regularly scheduled updates for our Emergency Response and Hospitals projects.  This is an impressive operation with a dedicated team that ensures delivery of aid in the hands of the end-user.  Our team works in four countries, US, Canada, Poland, and Ukraine, with a warehouse in each country.  That team is split into procurement (with specializations in medical versus technical devices and aid), logistics (international shipping, customs), Ukrainian warehouse staff who sorts and prepares “orders” for distribution across Ukraine, “customer support” representatives who collect and verify those orders, drivers who deliver aid directly to first-responders and defenders, and technologists who maintain a software system that allows us to efficiently track every package that leaves our warehouse in Ukraine. 

For example, on November 12 Razom delivered over 180 medical first-aid kits of the highest quality to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Mykolaiv region. That was our 27th (!!) delivery to an outpost of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. This government agency are first-responders when russian missiles strike, and key actors demining de-occupied territories of Ukraine. Countless civilian lives are saved thanks to their work everyday. 

As for our Hospitals team, managing in-kind donations and medical missions, most recently they worked with Henry Schein who donated 17 pallets of hygiene kits through our dedicated partner MedShare, providing essential items and honoring the dignity of Ukrainian civilians living amid war. Razom partner and grantee, Rescue Now, distributed these kits in line with their ongoing work to provide humanitarian aid in Eastern Ukraine. The individuals pictured below are residents of Kharkiv.

On November 25, Ukrainians around the world commemorate Holodomor Remembrance Day, remembering the millions of Ukrainians starved to death by the Soviet regime in an artificially-created famine.  Today, less than a hundred years later, the Ukrainian nation is again fighting for its right to exist.

S.Res. 713 and H.Res. 1205 recognize Russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide.  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine unambiguously meets the definition of the term genocide as defined by the Genocide Convention and reflected in U.S. law.  Passing this important resolution reaffirms America’s commitment to our fundamental principles and underscores the seriousness of Russia’s crimes.

We ask our community and friends to please email, call, or tweet your Members of Congress today and ask them to cosponsor and support this important resolution!  You can follow Razom’s latest call to action here: https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMF…/Campaigns/98795/Respond

Join us in contacting our Members of Congress now: https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMF…/Campaigns/98795/Respond

We’ve been counting down the days until Notes From Ukraine, the 100th anniversary concert celebrating Ukrainian “Carol of the Bells” at Carnegie Hall and returning to the Stern Auditorium/Perelman stage for one day only!

Tickets are selling fast and sponsorship opportunities for businesses are still available, but what we ask of you after the latest missile attacks on Ukraine this week, is to help us bring the Kyiv Children’s Choir «Shchedryk», who will be performing at the concert, to NYC.  Below is a little peak into their rehearsals this week.  As Kyiv goes through constant power shutdowns, the kids are left to rehearse in darkness and during air raid alarms, in bomb shelters.  Despite all the challenges, the choir persists in its mission to represent Ukraine to an international audience — just like the Ukrainian Republic Capella 100 yers ago.  Our «Shchedryk» Choir may be rehearsing in the dark bomb shelters now, but in a month they will be on a bright stage of Carnegie Hall and a warm audience awaits them.  Help us to bring them to NYC by making a donation here and become a part of the history of promoting and preserving Ukrainian culture. 

Kyiv Children’s Choir «Shchedryk» rehearses in the dark, determined to come to Carnegie Hall to perform on Deember 4, 2022.
On October 5, 1922, the Ukrainian Republic Capella performed in New York City’s Carnegie Hall and North American audiences heard for the first time Mykola Leontovych’s “Shchedryk”, a traditional Ukrainian song that would become the beloved holiday classic, “Carol of the Bells.” 

Bring Ukrainian Children to Carnegie Hall

There are a number of amazing projects you can support that will bring you closer with Ukrainian culture, art, and history.  Below is a roundup of some of those events and fundraising opportunities.  Moving forward, you’ll also be able to catch the most up to date schedule of events and creative fundraising campaigns on our website here.

In New York:

  • On Sunday, November 19, 7-11PM the Lisovi Chorty Plast Fraternity is celebrating their centenary by hosting a formal costume ball, or Kostyumivka, at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City.  The elegant affair will be a fundraiser to support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.   Secure your tickets here. 
  • Closing on Sunday, November 20, 11AM – 6PM at Howl! Arts New York is Yara Arts Group’s presentation of “Mariupol,” an exhibition of award-winning photographs and video by Evgeniy Maloletka and Mstyslav Chernov (AP) from the first days Russia invaded Ukraine this year.  There were no funerals.  No memorials.  No public gatherings to mourn those killed by Russia’s relentless attacks on the port city of Mariupol that became a symbol of Ukraine’s ferocious resistance.  The mass grave trenches told the story of a city under siege.  You catch the exhibit everyday this week until Sunday.
  • On Sunday, December 4, 2PM Notes From Ukraine, a concertdedicated to 100 years of “Shchedryk” and highlighting Ukrainian music and the connections between Ukrainian and American cultures, will take the stage at Carnegie Hall.  Secure your tickets here! 
  • On Saturday, December 10, 12:30PM – 3:30PM at the Kolo Klub come join Namaste Hoboken for its holiday party in support of Ukraine. 

In Washinton, D.C.:

  • On Wednesday, November 30, 5:30-8:30PM, the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation will host the D.C. premier of Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, an incredible documentary film by Evgeny Afinevsky is a sequel to his 2015 documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.  Secure your ticket here. 

In Massachusetts: 

  • The Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton, MA will be showing a series of new oil paintings by Joanne Holtje, “Lamentations,” from October 27-November 27, 2022.  Begun in early 2022, this series served as a way for her to bear witness to the horror of the invasion of Ukraine.  The proceeds of sales from the show, plus an additional 20% match from an anonymous donor will be donated to Razom.
  • On Friday, December 16, 8 – 9:30PM, the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra presents Holiday Pops 2022, a festive, glamorous night out featuring Sleigh Ride and the world premiere of Scrooge: A Christmas Overture by composer Donald Fraser—featuring Vira Slywotzky, soprano.  
  • The Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery at Bristol County Community College in Fall River, MA will be showing an exhibition called Eye of the Beholder (Don’t Close Your Eyes): Ukrainian Artists Respond to the War, from November 10-December 22.  With over 120 pieces on display, these works evoke the resolve and the anguish of the Ukrainian people and what they are experiencing as events unfold.  All art is on sale, with 50% of the sale price going to the artist and 50% to humanitarian organizations like Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation and Come Back Alive.

In Florida:

  • Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine!  The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home.  The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:

Online:

  • You can now buy a cool gaming bundle on Humble Bundle, who sells games, ebooks, software, and other digital content, while supporting Razom.  Make a choice of 2, 5 or 9 games and proceeds from your purchase will support Razom in continuing to send aid to Ukraine.
  • Stream a historic performance of the National Ballet of Ukraine from Orlando, FL at the prestigious Steinmetz Hall on August 27, 2022, and donate to help raise humanitarian aid for Ukrainian children and families.  The National Ballet of Ukraine is considered one of the top ranked ballet companies in the world.  Cozy up with your friends and loved ones and watch a special performance that affirms the power of art and beauty over tyranny and destruction.
  • Awethentic Gallery’s latest charity campaign, Prints for Ukraine, features a variety of artworks from award-winning journalists and photographers across the world, including Mykhaylo Palinchak who served as the official photographer of the President of Ukraine; Emmy-nominated journalist Laurel Chor and renowned documentary photographer, Natalie Keyssar.  All artworks are $150 and 100% of net proceeds of prints go directly to our artists and critical humanitarian war relief charities Razom and World Central Kitchen.  
  • “Invasion: Music and Art for Ukraine” CD is a project by Ukrainian-American GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist Nadia Shpachenko featuring music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lewis Spratlan and art by outstanding Ukrainian artists Lesia Babliak, Yurii Nagulko, Olena Papka, Kati Prusenko, and Aza Nizi Maza Studio children artists, directed by Mykola Kolomiets.  All proceeds go to Razom.

Globally: 

  • Started by a Ukrainian yoga teacher, Yoga4Ukraine aims to bring together 1,000 yoga teachers all around the world that each donate ONE yoga class!  Any style, any format, anywhere, anytime. Visit  www.yoga4ukraine.com  to officially become a part of the Yoga4Ukraine project or find a class near you, and get your Yoga4Ukraine t-shirt to support the initiative today.  All donations will benefit United24 and Razom.  

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, sharing it, generously donating to many of our important projects, and for showing your support of Ukraine.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

P.S. – why not add Razom to your AmazonSmile so that every time you shop, we get a 0.5% of that total as a donation.  As of Sept 2022, Razom has received $4,550 from AmazonSmile.  To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com on your web browser and activate AmazonSmile on the Amazon Shopping app on your iOS or Android phone (found under settings on your app).  

Donate to RAZOM

Newsletter #31: Go out and vote and then help us buy a Kovcheg mobile hospital!

Published: November 8, 2022   

Today, if you’re eligible to vote in the US, we hope you go and do so.  Democracy is an act that needs to be exercised regularly and healthy elections are a vital part.  At the moment, Ukrainians are acting to defend their democracy, fiercely and effectively, through daily actions, in countless ways.  Their work protects democracies everywhere, including of course their own.  We hope that work gets recognized and that every time you open a newsletter from Razom you choose to act (we encourage donating to Razom (so many projects profiled below!) and advocating for Ukraine).

Dear Razom Community,

We know you got the drill about voting, so we want to jump right in to the projects that need your support.  There are truly so many that are worthy of a spotlight here every week.  For example, we’re still procuring, delivering, and distributing winter-preparedness supplies, medical equipment and medicines, and communications devices.  We’re still fundraising for local grassroots organizations supporting internally displaced persons in Ukraine.  We’re still working to translate more Ukrainian books into English and IT courses into Ukrainian.  You can support any one of those projects directly by following the links.  But today we’d like to bring to your attention two special projects that need your support most urgently today: 1) our partnership with Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH), and 2) homegrown Razom project, “Razom with You”.  

With start-up funding from a major US foundation, Razom started the “Razom with You” program this July to support those in need of psychological help, including children.  The project provides free therapy to people in Ukraine whose lives were disrupted by the war, and aims to create an emotionally safe and easily accessible space for individual and group sessions in areas heavily populated by Internally Displaced Persons.  These are people who have been forced out of their homes, who have seen first-hand the horrors of war, unable to reach their loved ones.  After the first assessment, we evaluated that 80% of newcomers to the program have never received psychological support in their life.

To date, we’ve opened two support centers and hired eight psychologists who’ve delivered over 27 group sessions and 241 individual sessions.  You can learn about our focus areas and approach here.  To be able to sustain this important program, we need your support. 

Donate to the Project here

Thanks to our work early on in the invasion of distributing medical aid to hospitals in Ukraine and organizing medical missions, we uncovered how quickly doctors had to learn to operate in hospitals in conditions of urban warfare, dealing with a high influx of wounded patients, where diagnoses and treatments have to be made on the move.  Through our grant program, we have been supporting the Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH), and have learned how such mobile clinics can save more lives.

From day one of the full-scale war, PFVMH volunteers have been first on the scene in combat zones across the country (the picture you’ll see below is from Bakaliia), following the advance of the Ukrainian army, risking their lives to treat injured civilians and combatants, and carrying out evacuations.  In September alone, PFVMH medical professionals treated almost 1,200 people.  Over 800 patients had severe war injuries, and 6 of them didn’t make it.

What they desperately need now is an armored all-terrain vehicle to provide a mobile stabilization point, it’s a “hand-made” ATV called “Kovcheg” which solves for:

  1. Mobility.  It’s critical for the moving frontline, such as during the deoccupation.  In these regions, roads are destroyed — regular ambulances cannot quickly move and require frequent repair.
  2. Warmth.  Winter requires a warm stabilization center.  While in other territories PFVMH is often based in the hospitals as close to the front line as possible (like in Bakhmut now), this is not an option in recently deoccupied territories.  There, hospitals are either destroyed or highly likely to be targeted by the russian army.
  3. Security.  Kovcheg is an armored vehicle and thus protects doctors and wounded people. Because PFVMH medics not only evacuate and provide first medical aid, but also treat wounded on the spot, it is important for them to have a mobile, warm and safe stabilization center, especially during winter counteroffensives.

A Kovcheg costs $250,000 (already a reduced price).  Because Kovcheg is in Ukraine, it could be purchased quickly and without any additional charges (like customs fees etc).  PFVMH already has everything needed to transform vehicle into the stabilization center. 

Razom has been supporting PFVMH from the first months of the war by supplying them with medicine, medical and communications equipment, and $135,000 in grants.  We also committed to provide $60,000 towards the Kovcheg already.  Help us raise the funds to cover the rest of the costs!  Donate on facebook or by clicking the button below that’ll take you to our website.

Help Us Buy A Kovcheg

In the meantime, below are some of our regularly scheduled updates around our in-kind donations work.  We continue to work with businesses, major disaster relief and global health orgs, and individuals like yourselves who might work at these places (including hospitals!).  Here’s a short report on the last two weeks: 

  • Thanks to our partners at MedShare, 11 more pallets of donated medical supplies are making their way to Ukrainian hospitals in need, making this their sixth large shipment to Ukraine via Razom since March 2022.  Eight months later, MedShare remains committed to helping doctors save lives in Ukraine.
  • MedGlobal has been our partner for an equal length of time, partnering with Razom to both donate supplies and organize medical missions to Ukraine.  They have supported Ukrainian healthcare facilities with medical supplies, medications, and medical equipment, and educated Ukrainian medical professionals on essential topics including Polytrauma, surgical skills, the use of Butterfly ultrasounds, and chemical preparedness.
  • The disruption of the global supply chain since February 24th, 2022 has worsened the disease burden on Ukraine’s healthcare system.  Limited transportation and the halting of clinical services have erected substantial barriers to accessing health care and medications in many areas of the country.  Partners like CMMB Worldwide are providing life-saving support to Ukrainian hospitals with their generous donations of medications.  Thanks to our partnerships with AirLink and Zdorovi, these medications are getting to the people who need it most as quickly as possible.
  • Designer Brands Canada has donated 358 pairs of new three season and winter boots (men’s, women’s and children’s) and they’re already on their way to Ukraine.  We are grateful to Designer Brands Canada for this generous donation and encourage other companies to do the same.  If your company can donate any number of winter coats, hoodies, sweaters, boots or portable heaters for Ukraine, we would be happy to accept them in the USA, Canada, Europe (we’re a global team!).  Please contact inkind@razomforukraine.org

Ready for some goosebumps?

During the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington D.C. on Sept 18-20, 2022, a few campers from Kobzarska Sich, a bandura and choral camp that takes place every August in Emlenton, Pennsylvania, sang a Ukrainian folk song in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building in the Capitol Complex, on their way out of a formal performance at the summit reception.

Want to join one of the teams that was responsible for co-organizing that summit (and so much more!)?  Apply to Razom Advocacy team openings outlined below! 

Click Here To Apply

We are less than a month away from “Notes from Ukraine” at Carnegie Hall!  Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime event to commemorate the centennial celebration of the debut of Mykola Leontovych’s infamous “Carol of the Bells”.

Get your tickets here and tell your friends to do the same!

On top of that, you can donate directly to this project that’s many years in the making here.  Your donation will help pay for the travel expenses of the Ukrainian Children’s Choir “Shchedryk” (based in Kyiv), ensuring 55 children have accommodations in New York City.

If you can’t stand side by side with us at our weekly Saturday protests in NYC, then we hope you can join us at some of these events across the country!  Put these on your calendar: 

In New York:

  • On Wednesday, November 9 @ 8PM at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie, artists from Poland, Ukraine, the US and Canada unite on stage to raise funds for orphans and wounded children affected by the war in Ukraine performing classical, folkloric, popular and jazz works from their respective countries.  Buy your tickets to United for Peace: Benefit Concert of Polish and Ukrainian Solidarity here. 
  • On Saturday, November 12 @ 7PM the Coney Island Comedy Festival is proud to present The Funnies NYCUkrainian Fundraiser Stand Up Comedy Show at The Red Doorsbar and grill, located Brooklyn, NY.  Tickets are $15, with all sales donated to Razom for Ukraine.  The Funnies NYC is a Stand Up Comedy Show showcasing comedians from around the world.  The 11/12 show will Headline: Gregory Korostishevsky (The BlackList, Orange Is A New Black, Billions, White Collar), with Features from: Mike Hernendez (New York Silly), Meka Mo (2022 Best of BWICLaffFest), Upa InSpace (CICF), Mick Diflo, and Coney Island’s own Cherryann Trinidad.  Purchase tickets here. 
  • On Sunday, November 13 @ 5:00PM Evgeny Afineevsky’s newest documentary, Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, will have its New York City premier at DOC NYC.  Catch a moving, behind the headlines account of the Ukrainian people’s resistance and resilience during the 2022 Russian invasion.  With unprecedented access to the events on the ground, it weaves together personal stories of civilians, soldiers, journalists, and international volunteers to give voice to the people whose lives have been turned upside down.  Snag your ticket here and use code DOCNYC_PTNR_22 for a discount.  Better yet, between now and Wed, Nov 9 at 11:59am, FREEDOM ON FIRE tickets will be only $5 each, no code required. 
  • On Wednesday, November 16 @ 5-6:30PM the Harriman Institute at Columbia University will host an evening withVolodymyr Rafeyenko, a Ukrainian writer, poet, translator and critic. He initially wrote entirely in Russian, but following the outbreak of Russian aggression in 2014 he switched to Ukrainian. “Mondegreen: Songs about Death and Love” is his first novel in Ukrainian whose English translation was funded by the Razom Translates project.  
  • On Thursday, November 17 @ 7-11PM the Dungeons & Dragons Club in NYC is hosting a game night with all ticket sale proceeds going to Razom.  The evening will include free drinks and appetizers and feature a DJ and interactive art gallery.  New D&D players are welcome and highly encouraged!  Get your tickets here! 
  • On Sunday, November 19 @ 7-11PM the Lisovi Chorty Plast Fraternity is celebrating their centenary by hosting a formal costume ball, or Kostyumivka, at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City.  The elegant affair will be a fundraiser to support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.   Secure your tickets here. 
  • On Sunday, December 4 @ 2PM Notes From Ukraine, a concertdedicated to 100 years of “Shchedryk” and highlighting Ukrainian music and the connections between Ukrainian and American cultures, will take the stage at Carnegie Hall.  Secure your tickets here! 

In Washinton, D.C.:

  • On November 15-17, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) “Ukrainian Days” advocacy event will be held after the midterm elections.  Register here. 
  • On Wednesday, November 30 @ 5:30-8:30PM, the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation will host the D.C. premier of Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, an incredible documentary film by Evgeny Afinevsky is a sequel to his 2015 documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.  Info on how to secure tickets to come!

In Massachusetts: 

  • The Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton, MA will be showing a series of new oil paintings by Joanne Holtje, “Lamentations,” from October 27-November 27, 2022.  Begun in early 2022, this series served as a way for her to bear witness to the horror of the invasion of Ukraine.  The proceeds of sales from the show, plus an additional 20% match from an anonymous donor will be donated to Razom.
  • The Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery at Bristol County Community College in Fall River, MA will be showing an exhibition called Eye of the Beholder (Don’t Close Your Eyes): Ukrainian Artists Respond to the War, from November 10-December 22.  With over 120 pieces on display, these works evoke the resolve and the anguish of the Ukrainian people and what they are experiencing as events unfold.  All art is on sale, with 50% of the sale price going to the artist and 50% to humanitarian organizations like Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation and Come Back Alive.

In Illinois: 

  • On Saturday, November 12 @ 6PM the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago is hosting its annual fundraising gala “Ukraine My Love”.  It will feature Ukrainian-American artist Ola Rondiak as the keynote speaker and Serhiy FOMA Fomenko, a Ukrainian fusion folk singer from Mandy.  Buy your tickets here. 

In California:

In Florida:

  • Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine!  The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home.  The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, sharing it, generously donating to many of our important projects, and for showing your support of Ukraine.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

Donate to Razom

Our 30th Newsletter in 8 Months!

Published: October 28, 2022   

Dear Razom Community,

Thanks to you and the friends and family you shared our fundraiser with, we’ve raised over $130,000 towards the Power Up Ukraine initiative (on facebook or on Evergreen) as part of our Emergency Response Project in just two weeks.  Of course there’s also our general fund here that you can contribute to, where we continue to prioritize our Emergency Response Project that includes delivering life-saving aid and advocating for Ukraine.  But as the days get colder, electricity and water more intermittent, air raid sirens and missiles strikes far from the frontlines become common, and warcrimes accumulate, it’s never been more important for you to continue to maintain your support and share how others can help.  The more we all do this, the faster Ukraine will win and this war will end. 

There are so many of you who rally around targeted fundraisers you start yourselves (a new installment of Razom Says Dyakuyu (thank you) blog posts below!) that together our reach can become exponential.  We hope that you can forward these newsletters on so that your community can grasp the impact a simple action of theirs can have.  

This week’s updates start with our work on aid focused on winter preparedness:

  • We have distributed 24 generators in 2 weeks to Ukrainian defenders and first responders, with many still making their way to Ukraine. 
  • Thanks to the Toronto Police Service and Allied Universal Canada, our Canada-based procurement team was able to ship 1,500 three-season jackets to Ukraine.
  • So many of you contributed towards buying urgent supplies off of our Amazon Wishlist that we were able to ship 3 pallets worth of thermal underwear and socks, waterproof winter gloves, sleeping bags, power banks and more, in less than three weeks!  Keep up the good work and remember, when you go to check out, just click “Razom’s Gift Registry Address” underneath the “Other Addresses” section when choosing shipping. 

Razom’s in-kind donations team continues to work with individual medical professionals in the U.S. and major global health and disaster relief organizations to secure, ship, and distribute (with the help of our Ukraine-based partners Zdorovi and Patients of Ukraine) the most in-need hospital supplies and medicines across Ukraine: 

  • In partnership with MedShare (a continued and trusted partner since the start of the full-scale invasion) and a generous donor, three OR surgical tables were delivered to Irpin, Kharkiv and Dnipro.  These OR tables will enable specialized surgeries for Ukrainians in need. 
  • Thanks to a generous donation from the Afya Foundation, Razom was able to ship durable medical equipment (DME) and medical supplies to our partner Rescue Now that further distributed the wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and walkers to the elderly and Ukrainians with disabilities in the Kharkiv region.  These donations enabled those in need to regain their mobility and dignity. 
  • Razom and Zdorovi were able to deliver another 14 iQ+ devices to Ukraine last week.  These portable ultrasounds are vital in providing diagnostic evaluation during emergency situations, because they can be used for numerous POCUS (Point of Care UltraSound) procedures.  
  • DUKAL, with special support from the company’s President, Gerry LoDuca, donated 24 pallets worth of medical gauze for hospitals in Ukraine.  Thanks to a partnership with Airlink the shipping was subsidized.  More of these fundamental supplies are en route to Ukraine now!  

From September 16-22, the first mission of plastic and reconstructive surgeons “Face to Face — Ukrainian Medical Mission” took place. This project was created in cooperation with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), Razom for Ukraine and the medical platform INgenius.  The mission completed 34 consultations and 31 operative interventions at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Hospital.  This video shares the incredible work of those who doctors and nurses who volunteered for the mission, and the stories of the people’s lives that were forever changed. 

Given our intense focus on aid, advocacy, and fundraising since February 24th, you might not know a lot about Razom’s other projects before the full-scale invasion.  We’re happy to be able to put a spotlight on one of them now – Veteranius.  This project was started three years ago with the mission of helping Ukrainian veterans break into technology with their first IT job.  Project Veteranius runs training programs that combine the development of technical skills with practical projects, mentorship opportunities, and emotional and psychological support.

The number of Ukrainian veterans increases on a daily basis, so Razom is especially proud to announce a partnership with the Linux Foundation and Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) to expand access to technology education for Ukrainian veterans, their families, and Ukrainians in need.  You can read the official press release here.  The partnership will focus on adding three new classes to Project Veteranius – Intro to Linux, Git for Distributed Software Development, and Intro to Kubernetes.   

If you are interested in getting involved, there are many ways you can help!

  • Donate monetarily here
  • Donate hardware and/or software for students to use during classes
  • Donate your time and skills

Reach out to veteranius@razomforukraine.org for more information about involvement.  

Donate to Veteranius

Join us this Saturday, October 29th, 3:00 PM, Times Square (Father Duffy Square, near the steps) as Iranian and Ukrainian communities come together to for a joint protest against tyranny and autocracy.
Stand together with the brave people of Iran in their fight for liberty and justice.  Support them in their fight for the brighter and free future of their country.  Ukrainians and Iranians have common enemies – two dictators that threaten liberty and global security!
We will keep our fight until victory.
Together with Burmese community and free people of Tigray!
Co organisers: @nicolenajafi@womanlifefreedomnyc
Poster by: @parisa.dale

If you can’t stand side by side with us at our weekly Saturday protests in NYC, then we hope you can join us at some of these events across the country!  Put these on your calendar: 

In New York:

  • On Friday, October 28 @ 5PM in Manhattan, Razom is hosting a fireside chat with Ihor Dvoretskiy of Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a leading IT leader in Ukraine and a big advocate of open source technology, who is currently serving in the Ukrainian military.  Moderated by Dmytro Kavun, Razom Board Member and one of the leaders of Razom’s Veteranius project, they’ll be discussing Ihor’s story of transitioning from IT into the military and answering questions.  Together they delivered a keynote address at KubeCon this week.  More info about the get together here. 
  • On Saturday, October 29 @ 6:20PM at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden come support Ukraine at Vasyl Lomachenko boxing match.  We’re making it a special one with a surprise flashmob to support Ukraine.  Get your tickets here. 
  • On Thursday, November 3 @ 7-9PM in Hoboken, NJ the Hoboken-based music and poetry collective “West of Willow” is hosting a special event to raise funds for Razom.  This event includes Hoboken poet laureate Danny Shot, musicians Rest Ashore and Karyn Kuhl, and author Jack Silbert.  Make your donations to participate in the event here.
  • On Sunday, November 6 @ 5PM at the SohoPlayhouse come catch a performance of Psalm/Salmo, a synthesis of poetry, music, theater, and cinema created from the verses of Vasyl Makhno about the Russia-Ukraine war.  All proceeds will be donated to humanitarian causes in Ukraine.  Get your ticket here. 
  • On Saturday, November 12 @ 7PM the Coney Island Comedy Festival is proud to present The Funnies NYCUkrainian Fundraiser Stand Up Comedy Show at The Red Doorsbar and grill, located Brooklyn, NY.  Tickets are $15, with all sales donated to Razom for Ukraine.  The Funnies NYC is a Stand Up Comedy Show showcasing comedians from around the world.  The 11/12 show will Headline: Gregory Korostishevsky (The BlackList, Orange Is A New Black, Billions, White Collar), with Features from: Mike Hernendez (New York Silly), Meka Mo (2022 Best of BWICLaffFest), Upa InSpace (CICF), Mick Diflo, and Coney Island’s own Cherryann Trinidad.  Purchase tickets here. 
  • On Thursday, November 17 @ 7-11PM the Dungeons & Dragons Club in NYC is hosting a game night with all ticket sale proceeds going to Razom.  The evening will include free drinks and appetizers and feature a DJ and interactive art gallery.  New D&D players are welcome and highly encouraged!  Get your tickets here! 
  • On Sunday, November 19 @ 7-11PM the Lisovi Chorty Plast Fraternity is celebrating their centenary by hosting a formal costume ball, or Kostyumivka, at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City.  The elegant affair will be a fundraiser to support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.   Secure your tickets here. 
  • On Sunday, December 4 @ 2PM Notes From Ukraine, a concertdedicated to 100 years of “Shchedryk” and highlighting Ukrainian music and the connections between Ukrainian and American cultures, will take the stage at Carnegie Hall.  Secure your tickets here! 

In Washinton, D.C.:

  • On Friday, October 28 @ 4-5:30PM in Washington D.C. the US Ukraine Foundation and the Jamestown Foundation invite you to an Interview & Book Signing with Stanislav Aseyev, a Ukrainian novelist and journalist born in Donetsk.  His book In Isolation: Dispatches from Occupied Donbas details infamous Donetsk prison IZOLYATSIA, where he was subjected to mistreatment and intermittent torture for over two and a half years.  Register for the event here.  
  • On November 15-17, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) “Ukrainian Days” advocacy event will be held after the midterm elections.  Register here. 
  • On Wednesday, November 30 @ 5:30-8:30PM, the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation will host the D.C. premier of Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, an incredible documentary film by Evgeny Afinevsky is a sequel to his 2015 documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.  Info on how to secure tickets to come!

In Texas:

  • On Saturday, October 29 @ 8:30AM – 12PM in Woodlands, TX, the College Park High School Students Association is hosting a relay at the school’s track field to fundraise for Razom.  You can sign up here to join! 

In Massachusetts: 

  • The Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton, MA will be showing a series of new oil paintings by Joanne Holtje, “Lamentations,” from October 27-November 27, 2022.  Begun in early 2022, this series served as a way for her to bear witness to the horror of the invasion of Ukraine.  The proceeds of sales from the show, plus an additional 20% match from an anonymous donor will be donated to Razom.

In Illinois: 

  • On Saturday, November 12 @ 6PM the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago is hosting its annual fundraising gala “Ukraine My Love”.  It will feature Ukrainian-American artist Ola Rondiak as the keynote speaker and Serhiy FOMA Fomenko, a Ukrainian fusion folk singer from Mandy.  Buy your tickets here. 

In Florida:

  • Introducing to the world: KOLO, an unparalleled immersive visual experience and theatrical dance show celebrating the rich artistic and cultural heritage of Ukraine!  The first of its kind, KOLO is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv who now call Los Angeles home.  The show is launching its North American tour in Florida:

U.S. Tour:

  • KAZKA is back in the US for its “I’m Ukraine” tour that will kick off with a charity concert at New York’s Melrose Ballroom on November 4 @ 9:00PM.  You can also catch them in Miami, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco.  Get your tickets here! 
  • Volodymy Rafayenko is on Book Tour in the US brought to you by Razom Translates, a project of Razom which fundraised for a translation of Volodymyr Rafeyenko’s book Mondegreen: Songs about Death and Love in 2021.  Here is a list of the upcoming events with him (we will be adding on to this list). Please also follow our facebook page for events information:
    • Atlanta: Saturday, October 29 @ 3PM.  More info here. 
    • Hunter College in NY: Tuesday, November 1 @ 6PM.  More info here. 
    • George Washington University in D.C.: Thursday, November 3.
    • Ukraine House in D.C.: Monday, November 7.
    • Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland, OH: Tuesday, November 8 @ 6-8PM.  More info here. 
    • UCSD in San Diego, CA: Monday, November 14 @ 5-6PM.  More info here. 
    • Columbia University in NYC: Wednesday, November 16 @ 5-6:30PM.  More info here. 

Continuing our Razom Says Dyakuyu (thank you) series , we want to spotlight some amazing stories of generosity, support, and simple organizing to fundraise for Razom’s work in helping Ukraine.  We’ve collected a lot of these stories over the past 8 months, and they continue to sustain and inspire us.  Below are the most recent spotlights (click on the photos to link to the stories!).

RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO THE ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF THE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR UKRAINE AT THE UCCS

 
 
 
 
RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO NYC MOMS FOR A CAUSE
RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO FREEDOM RUN LONDON: A CHARITY RACE TO SUPPORT FREEDOM IN UKRAINE
RAZOM SAYS DYAKUYU – THANK YOU – TO FOX ROCK FOUNDATION

Pass on this message, this newsletter, to your friends and family, your workplace, and your local community to raise awareness about how others can support Ukraine and help save lives in the process.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

How Can I Help

Newsletter #29: Urgent Call To Action

Published: October 11, 2022   

Yesterday, another morning waking up to horrific news of deadly russian attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, and today, another opportunity to help Ukraine win.  Make no mistake, this unprecedented attack wasn’t about revenge for the bridge connecting russia to occupied Crimea.  Monday’s 84+ missiles were designed to keep Ukrainians cold for the winter ahead.  Razom has been delivering aid for winter preparedness over the past couple of weeks already, but we need your help now to scale that work.  Below, several ways you can help Ukraine today.

Dear Razom Community,

Although by no means are any of Monday’s events new to Ukrainians, the scale of the attack, across every major corner of Ukraine, was unprecedented since the invasion on February 24th.  Air raid sirens in every region of Ukraine lasted for more than five hours.  Every day, russian terrorism gets more and more aggressive, more and more inhuman.  After yesterday, over 100 civilians have died, more have been injured, and major cities across Ukraine have lost water and electricity.  

But Ukrainians are not afraid.  They, we, have been preparing for this and fighting  this for a long time.  Razom continues to work to deliver aid, advocate for Ukraine, and engage people around the world to donate money and time.  You can help us in this, and every time you do, Ukraine and everything that it stands for, gets closer to victory.

Here’s what you can do:

  1. DONATE – Help power-up Ukraine by donating to Razom’s fundraiser (on facebook or on Evergreen) to deliver generators and power banks to Ukrainian first responders and defenders so that they can carry out rescue operations and save lives.  In the last few weeks, we’ve focused our efforts on winter preparedness, delivering generators and even Ukraine-made wood burning stoves (over 30 of them have already made it into the hands of the end users!).  But now what they need most are supplies that will keep the lights on after yesterday’s attacks.  The goal of this campaign is to raise $100,000 to purchase portable heat and power sources and deliver them to places where Ukrainians need them most.  Since February 24th, Razom has made over 2,000 deliveries of critical aid to end users on the front lines of saving lives in Ukraine.  Your donations will help us to continue to scale the massive work we have at hand. 
  2. ADVOCATE – Write and call to your elected officials to declare Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism.  Here’s a link to how to do that for your US Senators and Members of Congress.  
  3. SHARE – Pass on this message, this newsletter, to your friends and family, your workplace, and your local community to raise awareness about how others can support Ukraine and help save lives in the process. 
How Can I Help?

Razom has been working on Aid, Advocacy, and Fundraising for Ukraine since day one, and we will continue to do all of those things.  Your support is vital to our meeting the needs of Ukrainians on the ground.  Below are two recent stories of initiatives that would not have been made possible without your donations.

During September 16-24th, Razom, in partnership with INgenius (a platform for developing medicine and science in Ukraine), facilitated a medical mission for a group of 11 experienced plastic surgeons and nurses from the US and the AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) to deliver 40 advanced reconstructive surgeries and corrective plastic procedures to 31 patients who suffered as a result of russia’s war on Ukraine – completely free of charge.  The group brought $325,000 in medical supplies (including custom designed implants) and donated around $300,000 in value of surgeries.  Some procedures lasted as long as 10 hours.  We were touched, shaken, and horrified by the patients’ stories.  They came from places like Bucha, Izyum, Kherson, Chernihiv, Sumy, places with documented atrocities and war crimes, and with wounds and burns from shelling, mine explosions, direct gunshots, and artillery fire.  For many of these patients, fixing the scars on their faces may be the last step in their arduous medical journeys, something that brings closure, helps heal and return to society.  Psychological rehabilitation is an important factor in recovery and reintegration, so we brought therapists from our Razom z Toboyu program in Ivano-Frankivsk for onsite support.

In the spirit of collaboration and learning, American and Ukrainian colleagues worked side by side at the medical facility of Ivano Frankivsk Oblast Hospital.  This special Ukrainian medical mission was called “Face to Face” and is undoubtedly only the beginning of a fruitful and life-saving cooperation between Ukrainian and American doctors and surgeons.  Over 130 Ukrainian medical professionals watched the masterful work of their American colleagues and Ivano-Frankivsk doctors in-person and online (in real-time) to learn the procedures.  Currently most plastic and reconstructive procedures are not available in public hospitals, and patients have to turn to either high cost private clinics or, for the military, wait for their turn in military hospitals which are overwhelmed with wound and trauma patients.  Our solution is to work with Ukrainian doctors and policy makers on education and popularization of plastic and reconstructive procedures and advocating for free plastic and reconstructive surgery for the victims of war.

The American doctors were impressed by the courage and patience of the Ukrainians they operated on.  In six months, they plan to return to continue the work of the medical mission and help more people.

In light of yesterday’s events, we also want to spotlight the work of one of our grantees from the Razom Grants project, the Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH), a Ukrainian NGO of civilian healthcare professionals saving lives by treating and evacuating injured Ukrainian people on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.  In September alone, PFVMH medical professionals treated almost 1,200 people.  Over 800 patients had severe war injuries, and 6 of them didn’t make it.

Vsevolod Stebliuk, PFVMH Medical Director, says there are no “easy cases.”  Every day, there are wounded people that PFVMH angels bring back from the dead.  Even when their hearts stop, the doctors fight for their lives, often resuscitating patients 3-4 times.  A 99.5% success rate during wartime… truly is a miracle.  That’s why they were nicknamed “Angels in Scrubs” by the Ukrainian public.

The level of professionalism among the volunteer doctors is unprecedented.  That’s why the importance of top-grade medical equipment and continuous aid cannot be overvalued.  High-quality tactical medicine kits, surgical instruments, external fixation devices, anesthesia breathing systems, and even fuel for evacuations and transportation are all key elements that give Ukrainian people a chance to survive.  Razom has an ongoing fundraiser to aid the current needs of Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital.  To support and help them save even more lives, join our Facebook Fundraiser or visit RAZOM x PFVMH – the donation buttons are at the bottom of the page.  You can also visit their official website.

DONATE to Razom

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, sharing it, generously donating to many of our important projects, and for showing your support of Ukraine.  We are immensely grateful.

Stay razom.

Donate via our Amazon Wishlist

Newsletter #28: Cultural Diplomacy. An opportunity to be a part of musical history of Ukraine and of the U.S.

Published: October 7, 2022   

Dear Razom Community,

This week we want to shine a spotlight on a very special event coming to New York City this holiday season and warmly invite you to Notes From Ukraine, a concert on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at Carnegie Hall dedicated to 100 years of “Shchedryk” and highlighting Ukrainian music and the connections between Ukrainian and American cultures.

A hundred years ago Ukrainians used the soft power of music to preserve and promote their independence, and today Ukrainian artists are once again turning to culture to communicate with the world.

On October 5, 1922, the Ukrainian Republic Capella performed Mykola Leontovych’s “Shchedryk” in New York City’s Carnegie Hall for the first time to North American audiences, sparking its journey to becoming the beloved Christmas classic known around the world as “Carol of the Bells.”  Back then, the concert was a part of a cultural diplomacy missionlaunched in 1919 to promote awareness of Ukrainian independence in Europe and the Americas and to counter Russian propaganda.  Under the auspices of the head of the Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), Symon Petliura, and the Ministries of Education, Arts and Foreign Affairs, the national choir performed more than 200 concerts in North America alone at major halls and universities.  The Capella shared Ukraine’s unique choral tradition while promoting the country’s sovereignty and distinctiveness from “the russian world.” 

Check out this video to learn more about the incredible and little-known history of one of the most beloved Christmas melodies around the world and its origins. 

Notes from Ukraine on December 4th will be a culmination of the collective dreaming, vision, and work of many people, over many years.

Produced by Ukrainian Institute-Kyiv, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival (UCMF), and us (Razom), it will feature performances by world-famous choral artists from Ukraine and North America, including Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York (as featured on SNL), Kyiv-based, Ukrainian Children’s Choir Shchedryk, TheChoir of Trinity Wall Street, along with special guests, including soprano, Janai Brugger, and Toronto-based Ukrainian folk singer, Marichka Marczyk.  The program features a world premiere by composer Trevor Weston, setting the words of Ukrainian Nobel Prize-nominated poet, Serhiy Zhadan (a RazomPartner via the Serhi Zhadan Charitable Foundation) , as well as American choral works with Ukrainian connections by composers Eric Whitacre, Leonard Bernstein, Valentyn Sylvestrov, George Gershwin, and others.

This project has never been as important as it is today, when the identity of Ukraine is again under threat and russia’s missiles have targeted cultural sites across the country.  In buying a ticket to this concert you will not only discover amazing Ukrainian music and support Ukrainian musical artists and composers, but also become a part of Ukraine’s reconstruction.  Proceeds from this event will go to United24 and allocated to the reconstruction of public services. 

Buy Your Tickets Here

Notes From Ukraine is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations, and the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA.  We are grateful for our sponsor Samopomich, Self Reliance Federal Credit Union of New York, and we are looking for more sponsors to become a part this momentous event for the Ukrainian-American diaspora in the U.S. and music lovers in NYC.  

If you’re interested in sponsoring, contact val@razomforukraine.org.

Secure Your Tickets for Notes From Ukraine

We hope to see you all together on December 4th at Carnegie Hall, but before then there are several other great opportunities to connect with Ukraine with events across the country.  Here’s a few to put on your radar: 

  1. The Kennedy Center Concert Hall, the world’s leading national stage will showcase a Benefit Concert for Ukraine on October 18 at 7:30PM.  The concert features joint performance by American violinist, Grammy Award-winner and global superstar, Joshua Bell, and the internationally acclaimed New Era Orchestra from Ukraine.
  2. Upcoming premier screenings of Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom with director Evgeny Afineevsky scheduled to attend.  Catch a moving, behind the headlines account of the Ukrainian people’s resistance and resilience during the 2022 Russian invasion.  With unprecedented access to the events on the ground, it weaves together personal stories of civilians, soldiers, journalists, and international volunteers to give voice to the people whose lives have been turned upside down. 
  3. Brooklyn (home of the Brooklyn Cyclones Stadium) welcomes the Ukrainian National Baseball Team for charity baseball games to raise funds to rebuild Ukraine’s youth sports facilities and infrastructure.  You’ll have a chance to meet some Ukrainian heroes (baseball players who are members of the Ukrainian military), while helping to raise awareness about the ongoing war in Ukraine.  There are two games, each of which include pre-game performances and ceremonies, post-game fireworks, and raffle and silent auction opportunities. General admission is free, but you have to reserve your tickets here. 
    • Game 1: Team Ukraine vs NYPD Baseball on Friday, October 14 @ 7:00PM w/ pre-game performances and ceremonies starting @ 6:00PM.
    • Game 2: Team Ukraine vs FDNY Baseball on Saturday, October 15 @ 2:00PM w/ pre-game performances and activities starting @ 1:00PM.
  4. Bar 9 Piano Bar in NYC, along with the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Bronx School of Music, the Hellenic Progressive Association: Peter Karanous Bx Chapter #175, and the National Association of Real Estate Brokersare hosting a Musical Jam and Fundraiser for Ukraine on Wednesday, October 12 @ 6:00PM.  Our own Alex Pryrodny will be one of the performers and fundraising for Razom!  You can buy your ticket and even watch the event virtually here. 
  5. The Oxbow Gallery in Easthampton, MA will be showing a series of new oil paintings by Joanne Holtje, “Lamentations,” from October 27-November 27, 2022.  Begun in early 2022, this series served as a way for her to bear witness to the horror of the invasion of Ukraine.  The proceeds of sales from the show, plus an additional 20% match from an anonymous donor will be donated to Razom. 
  6. KAZKA is back in the US for its “I’m Ukraine” tour that will kick off with a charity concert at New York’s Melrose Ballroom on November 4 @ 9:00PM.  You can also catch them in Miami, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco.  Get your tickets here! 

CALLING ALL CREATORS WHO SUPPORT UKRAINE

Monday, October 24th, 2022

Understanding and celebrating different culture is a necessity for peace and tolerance.  Ukraine will have fought a horrific full blown war for 8 consecutive months on October 24th.  What has lead Ukrainians to victory, time and time again, is the pride we share in our culture, and it’s what we want to share with the rest of the world.

This is an invitation for you to be a part of an international worldwide social media fundraising campaign for Razom.  We have selected 10 Ukrainian mythological characters to highlight this Halloween season.  If you choose to participate we would love to share these myths with you and let you create freely.  The task is to create (art, music, dance, make up, fashion, etc) based on the myth assigned to you and to post this content on October 24th under the hashtag #UkrainianHalloween.  Our team will not be micromanaging your process and we want to emphasize that this will be your work inspired by Ukrainian culture.  All forms of artistry and creation are welcomed and encouraged.

This project’s goals are:
–  Celebrate and highlight Ukrainian culture in a unique way
–  Celebrate Ukrainian supporters through our close collaboration on #UkrainianHalloween
–  Fundraise for an imminent victory against our aggressor and also for the immediate rebuilding of a terrorized nation

To participate please go to our Instagram profile and click the #UkrainianHalloween link in our heylink!

Questions to: @aleksandr.krapivkin
Illustration by: @bubblegum_effect

Razom was one of the winners of the 2022 Innovators Awards in Global Affairs from Network 20/20, their premier event showcasing emerging innovation, global leadership, and people-to-people diplomacy.  The gala brought together prominent global leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, academics, and corporate supporters.  Razom’s President, Dora Chomiak and Vice President, Lyuba Shipovich spoke at the gala and accepted the Communication and Civic Engagement award on Razom’s behalf!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about all the meaningful ways you can support Ukraine and immerse yourself and learn from its culture.  We sincerely hope to see you at all of these incredible events because we’ll be there! 

In our next newsletter installment, we’ll be sharing a deep dive into some new projects recently started by Razom as well as updates on our long standing work.  There are some great stories coming your way.

Stay razom.

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