As Our Volunteer Team Grows, So Does Our Impact: Updates from Canada, Lviv and Sumy

Published: March 16, 2022   

Today a brave group of volunteers delivered much needed tactical medicine supplies to Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine about 30 miles from the Russian border.  It’s a city that’s been sustaining shelling and urban fighting since the moment of Russian invasion.  Maybe we’ll get an extra hour of sleep knowing that Ukrainian people have the necessary medicine to defend their city.

Meanwhile halfway across the world, a group of Canadian Razom volunteers have built out partnerships and a logistical chain to be able to procure and ship tactical medical supplies from Toronto to Ukraine.  They’ve partnered up with the Markham Rotary Club Foundation and NKS Health to fundraise, buy, and ship 13 pallets of tacmed so far. Check out how they do this work in more detail below:

Last but not least, we’ve grown our Razom team of volunteers at the Kryla Nadiyi warehouse in Lviv to 8 people (and soon more), who come to us from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in Ukraine, and who will be working there daily to accept Razom’s aid shipments that are arriving more consistently now.  They’re sorting and organizing aid for further distribution so that we can get these supplies into the hands of Ukrainians as fast as humanly possible.

Delivery of Aid & Supplies to Cities Across Ukraine

Published: March 14, 2022   

Razom Emergency Response project continues to grow and develop at an incredible speed thanks to the support of our donors and dedicated volunteer network in the US and Ukraine. The war and resulting humanitarian crisis has only continued to escalate over the past week, putting our logistics operation on the ground in Ukraine into stark focus. 

The first shipments of humanitarian aid procured by Razom delivered to Berdychiv in Zhytomyr Oblast on March 9th

The reality is that delivering aid past the warehouse of our partners at Kryla Nadiyi in western Ukraine is an extremely difficult task. The very first shipments of tactical medicine (purchased & shipped on day two of the war) made it into the hands of civilian defense corps in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts on March 9th.  It was four days later, on March 13th, that more aid made the journey east – this time by two mini buses heading to Kyiv (including Brovary) and Poltava (with an extra leg to Sumy) oblasts.  

Russian forces are actively shelling and endangering transportation infrastructure across the country therefore safe routes are constantly changing. In addition, humanitarian needs on the ground change just as fast, if not faster. Speed and boots on the ground are of the essence. Razom has both, which gives us a unique chance to deliver the aid acquired abroad to the end user in Ukraine, knowing that your donations are in the right hands. 

Aid is packed into small vehicles allowing volunteer drivers to maneuver more nimbly. Coordination with civilian defense corps (the ultimate volunteer network in Ukraine today) via satellite phones, which offer the most reliable form of communication, strengthen our logistics chain on the ground in Ukraine. There’s also a verbal verification system in place that ensures volunteers know they’re putting the delivery in safe hands. When available, small civilian drones are another important tool for our volunteers to scope out safe passage routes and share valuable information in real time. These tech enabled emergency response supplies have made a big impact on our volunteers’ ability to work effectively in executing the logistics chain in Ukraine. We are enormously grateful for the brave and trusted group of the people who carry out this work.  

Tactical Medical Aid being prepped and loaded for distribution in Ukraine. Markings read “Sumy” and “Poltava”

As we celebrate each and every delivery of humanitarian aid that makes it into the hands of Ukrainians, we continue to follow a repeatable logistics process for procuring and delivering aid from abroad to warehouses in Poland and western Ukraine. Euromaidan Warszawa is our trusted partner in Warsaw that receives shipments procured throughout western Europe and delivers them to western Ukraine. Meest America is delivering shipments procured from the United States directly to Ukraine.  So far, approximately $4M has been spent on tactical medical supplies, communications supplies, and logistics support. All of our aid is received in western Ukraine by our partners Kryla Nadiyi (Wings of Hope). They warehouse, sort, and prepare orders of aid that then gets distributed further.  A small group of engineers, in collaboration with two Razom volunteers (in the US and Ukraine) have developed an online system to help track requests submitted by a centralized network of civilian defense corps central command. These requests then get cross referenced to active hotspots and prioritized based on safe routes.  

The many faces of Kryla Nadiyi volunteers accepting, sorting, and organizing humanitarian aid for distribution across Ukraine

We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and partner organizations who work daily on this project (most days staying up until 4am!) coordinating information, connecting volunteer networks, and helping to take in, protect, and distribute shipments donated through Razom. To our donors, your continued support ensures we can make an impact across more parts of Ukraine. We can’t wait to keep sharing those stories with you as they develop. 

Evacuation of Children with Disabilities

Published: March 10, 2022   

Just as we have worked hard to move humanitarian aid such as tactical and hospital medical supplies across borders and into Ukraine, we have simultaneously developed an evacuation system for some of the most vulnerable in times of war – children and children with disabilities.  This effort began with children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Razom has been connected to these children through the “Dity, My Vstygnemo” – “Children, We Will Make It” project, launched in 2021 as a civic movement and advocacy campaign to improve healthcare access for Ukrainian children suffering from SMA. 

In times of war, children with disabilities need to be evacuated early before they are in danger of missing out on special care and assistance needed to thrive and survive. These children also require an individualized evacuation approach as they are unable to board crowded trains and buses. Moreover, taking care of civilians before their environment becomes an active war zone allows the Ukrainian army to work more efficiently, knowing civilians are out of harm’s way. Therefore we activated our volunteer and partner network immediately when the war began, and to date, have evacuated 30 different families (making up 83 individuals) from nine cities and regions of Ukraine (including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Irpin, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kryvyi Rih).

This has been a complete volunteer effort. A group of 12 Razom volunteers (across US and Ukraine, including 5 drivers) have worked day and night coordinating resources and safe routes for passage to evacuate children and their families from the most dangerous regions in Ukraine towards western Ukraine. We worked with the All Hands And Hearts nonprofit to help procure minivans (we have four of them to date, one of which was privately funded), and have partnered with the Polish SMA Foundation to take care of these children once we get them across the border.

As we continue to scale this project, we’ve also been able to assist families who are driving their children with disabilities out west on their own, to guide them through safe routes.  This includes helping them find shelter along the way.  Razom has been developing a database of places willing to shelter refugees safely and freely even before the war began.  

As we work to obtain more vehicles that will allow us to further expand this project, we are also developing a system whereby minibusses that make their way east are filled with humanitarian aid. Right now, every action we take must have maximum positive impact on lives in Ukraine.

Please consider donating to Razom Emergency Response project for us to continue to scale this operation.  

Newsletter #5: Meeting the ever-evolving needs of Ukrainians right now

Published: March 10, 2022   

In the fifth installment of this newsletter, you’ll find a Razom Emergency Response project impact story we haven’t yet shared with you – evacuations.  You’ll also learn the latest on how to continue to help Ukraine. 

Just as we’ve worked hard to move humanitarian aid (tacmed, hospital med) across borders and into Ukraine, we’ve simultaneously developed an evacuation system for some of the most vulnerable in times of war — children and children with disabilities.  It started with children with SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) that Razom is connected through the “Dity, My Vstygnemo” – “Children, We Will Make It” project, launched in 2021 as a civic movement and advocacy campaign to improve healthcare access for Ukrainian children suffering from SMA. 

In times of war, children with disabilities need to be evacuated early before they are in danger of missing out on special care and assistance needed to thrive and survive.  Razom (in a group with 12 incredible volunteers across the US and Ukraine) have evacuated children from 9 cities and regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Irpin, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kryvyi Rih.

Our long time partners at BUR are helping to coordinate evacuations on the ground along with the help of Mykola Kuleba.  We worked with the All Hands And Hearts nonprofit to help procure minivans, and have partnered with the Polish SMA Foundation to take care of these children once getting them across the border.  

Please consider donating to Razom’s Emergency Response project and/or BUR for us to continue to scale this operation.  

There are lots of upcoming events and rallies that you can support: 

  • Today, (Thursday March 10th) at 8pm there’s A Benefit For Ukraine hosted by Gogol Bordello at City Winery NYC, with profits going to Come Back Alive Foundation (Povernys’ Zhyvym) in Ukraine.  
  • Bring a blue or yellow umbrella and join a performance protest at Times Square on Saturday, March 12th at 1pm to continue to put pressure on the world to #CloseTheSky in Ukraine.  
  • In Brooklyn on Saturday, March 12th at 1pm there will be a workshop on Ukrainian folk songs led by Asia Mieleszko at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Brooklyn.  All are welcome to learn the extraordinary, everyday music of Ukraine’s villages.  There’s no knowledge of Ukrainian or music necessary to participate.
  • In D.C. on Sunday, March 13th, join the Vigil For Ukraine at the White House from 4-8 pm to commemorate the innocent people killed by Russia’s war in Ukraine and honor those who are defending Ukraine right now.  As of March 8th, 52 children have been confirmed killed.
  • On Sunday, March 13th at 5-9pm, Dacha 46, Gertie, and Huertas (with special guest Leah Koenig) combine forces to bring you a Ukrainian Jew-ish feast to help raise funds for Razom’s Emergency Response.  357 Grand Street in NYC.
  • In New York City on March 18-20th you can discover the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival a platform for the performance and discussion of the complex and unique contributions of Ukrainian composers to contemporary music.  

Last, but most certainly not least, your gift to these fundraisers can make an enormous difference for Ukrainians in Ukraine:

  • Razom’s Emergency Response Project works to deliver only the most urgent humanitarian aid in war torn parts of Ukraine, which includes tactical medical supplies, hospital needs, and supplies that enable the safe and efficient distribution of that aid (like med tactical backpacks, GPS devices, satellite phones, and drones).  We are agents of delivery on the ground, funneling humanitarian aid in one direction and evacuating children, children with disabilities, and their families in the opposite direction. 
  • UACC’s fundraiser to export helmets and armory vests to Ukraine and get them in the hands of territorial defense units across key parts of the country urgently needs your support.  They’ve been able to ship 660 body armors and 500 helmets thus far.  
  • With the heavy flow of supplies going daily across the ocean to Ukraine, it was only a matter of time until Razom’s partnership with Meest America, Inc. shipping company would require additional support.  We are raising money to ensure that the donations you’ve delivered to Meest, that go beyond tacmed and medical supplies, get shipped across the ocean to Ukraine efficiently.  

P.S. – we have an urgent volunteer opportunity for TODAY, Thursday 3/10 at our warehouse in New Jersey to sort and pack shipments of humanitarian aid for Ukraine.  If you’re able to help, fill out this Volunteer Intake Form asap. 

Newsletter #4: Important Razom Emergency Response Updates

Published: March 8, 2022   

In the fourth installment of this newsletter, you’ll find Razom Emergency Response Project updates, an overview of our activity in the past week, and a quick rundown of what’s to come and how you can get involved. 

Our Emergency Response Project is well underway, with some of the hardest work yet to come. Kryla Nadiyi (which means “Wings of Hope” in Ukrainian) are our partners on the ground in western Ukraine warehousing, sorting, and distributing our humanitarian aid to various hot spots across the country.  They are one of the top charities in Ukraine doing this type of work since 2013.

The first shipments of tactical medicine (purchased & shipped on day two of the war) are now arriving to civilian territorial defenses in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts in Ukraine.  We are enormously grateful for this brave and trusted group of volunteers who are ensuring its safe arrival.  Tacmed supplies continue to be one of the most urgent forms of aid needed to get into the hands of Ukrainians.

We have streamlined our operations with Meest America Inc., and right now, 38 tons more of tactical medical and hospital supplies are making their way to Ukraine via Poland.

Finally, since the start of the war, we’ve spent over $1.5M procuring this humanitarian aid and covering logistical costs.

On Saturday, we continued to show up and show out with thousands of Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine gathering into one of the largest rallies in recent Ukrainian-New York history.  Times Square turned into a blue and yellow ocean stretching for over 5 blocks, the Ukrainian anthem was heard loud and proud, our faces were the faces of hope for Ukraine and its bright future.  

Following the rally, all those who have been working to support Ukraine these difficult past couple of weeks, were welcomed at the Ukrainian National Home in the Ukrainian Village for a Stand With Ukraine Community Concert.  A beautiful music program, which included Ukrainian Village Voices, Zisl Slepovitch Trio, and Fima Chupakhin Jazz Quartet, was exactly what we needed to be reminded of our strength and resoluteness to keep going.  Thank you to Iryna Kit for putting together the program, Veselka :: Beceлкa, Two Boots Pizza, and East Village Meat Market Inc./ J. Baczynsky for providing the food to sustain and nurture the volunteers, and everyone who came out to support.  Together we raised over $8,000.  It was a wonderful evening amidst chaos, and the goal was always to remind ourselves of the amazing support Ukraine has all over the world and to give us the courage to continue fighting for peace, truth, and freedom.

Here’s how to continue to stay involved:

  • The Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival is back again this year running March 18th to March 20th showcasing Ukrainian artists and music in a time when these matter most.  While the war effort is of paramount importance, it is also imperative that Ukrainian culture does not disappear.  Buy your tickets to the festival here.
    • UCMF is also actively fundraising (donate here) to cover the costs of running the festival and donating half of the proceeds to Razom’s Emergency Response Project.  
  • If you haven’t written to your representatives yet, there’s never a day like today.  Keep putting the pressure on them to provide more support and close the sky over Ukraine (templates here).
  • Have you publicly called out PayPal yet to open up their full range of services to Ukraine?  Especially Ukrainians receiving payments and money through the app.  Follow the flashmob bandwagon by sharing this post across your social media while tagging PayPal.  
  • Our linktree has over 1 million views, keep sharing it with your networks as the easiest (read: fastest) way to raise awareness about what people can do to support and educate themselves on Ukraine. 
  • Last, but most certainly not least, consider making a contribution to the following efforts:
    • Razom’s Emergency Response Project works to deliver only the most urgent humanitarian aid in war torn parts of Ukraine, which includes tactical medical supplies, hospital needs, and supplies that enable the safe and efficient distribution of that aid (like med tactical backpacks, GPS devices, satellite phones, and drones).   
    • UACC’s fundraiser to export helmets and armory vests to Ukraine and get them in the hands of territorial defense units across key parts of the country is still ongoing.  
    • With the heavy flow of supplies going daily across the ocean to Ukraine, it was only a matter of time until Razom’s partnership with Meest America, Inc. shipping company would require additional support.  We are raising money to ensure that the donations you’ve delivered to Meest, that go beyond tacmed and medical supplies (many of you have been doing epic Costco runs!), get shipped across the ocean to Ukraine efficiently.

38 Tons of Medical Supplies on the way to Poland

Published: March 7, 2022   

Our Emergency Response Project is well underway, with some of the hardest work yet to come.

  • Kryla Nadiyi (which means “Wings of Hope” in Ukrainian) are our partners on the ground in western Ukraine warehousing, sorting, and distributing our humanitarian aid to various hot spots across the country. They are one of the top charities in Ukraine doing this type of work since 2013.
  • The first shipments of tactical medicine (purchased & shipped on day two of the war) are now arriving to civilian territorial defenses in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts in Ukraine. We are enormously grateful for this brave and trusted group of volunteers who are ensuring its safe arrival. Tacmed supplies continue to be one of the most urgent forms of aid needed to get into the hands of Ukrainians.
  • We have streamlined our operations with Meest America Inc., and right now, 38 tons more of tactical medical and hospital supplies are making their way to Ukraine via Poland.
  • Finally, since the start of the war, we’ve spent over $1.5M procuring this humanitarian aid and covering logistical costs.
  • Last, but most certainly not least, we ask you to consider making a contribution to the following efforts:
    • Our Razom’s Emergency Response Project works to deliver only the most urgent humanitarian aid in war torn parts of Ukraine, which includes tactical medical supplies, hospital needs, and supplies that enable the safe and efficient distribution of that aid (like med tactical backpacks, GPS devices, satellite phones, and drones).   
    • UACC’s fundraiser to export helmets and armory vests to Ukraine and get them in the hands of territorial defense units across key parts of the country is still ongoing.  
    • With the heavy flow of supplies going daily across the ocean to Ukraine, it was only a matter of time until Razom’s partnership with Meest America, Inc. shipping company would require additional support.  We are raising money to ensure that the donations you’ve delivered to Meest, that go beyond tacmed and medical supplies (many of you have been doing epic Costco runs!), get shipped across the ocean to Ukraine efficiently.  

Stay informed. Stay Razom. Support Ukraine.

Newsletter #3: Day 8 of Ukrainians’ incredible resistance

Published: March 3, 2022   

It’s not just March 3rd, it’s day eight of Russia’s war on Ukraine and Ukrainians’ incredible resistance.  Below, you’ll find the latest on how you can continue to get involved & support Ukraine, and updates on Razom’s Emergency Response project.  

Let’s begin with how to update your to-do list for today.  If Ukrainians dare to stop a tank with their bare hands, you can dare to do the following:

  • Thanks to the UACC’s (Ukrainian American Coordinating Council) quickly obtaining a special export license for regulated, military-grade items, you can now help us get protective gear for the civilian defense units that are protecting each city, town, and village in Ukraine.   This means procuring large shipments of military-grade helmets and armory vests.  
  • Keep putting the pressure on your representatives, the US administration, and European leaders to close the airspace over Ukraine, enact harsher sanctions to isolate Russia, seize russian oligarchs’ wealth, and provide more military & humanitarian support for Ukraine.  We’ve got some templates for that right here. 

Don’t worry, the list continues below…

  • Stay vigilant when it comes to disinformation.  Make sure that you are verifying where you’re submitting your donations given there are so many tools available to us for raising awareness.  Razom’s donation page has options for bank transfer, check, PayPal, Zelle, and crypto.  You can always choose to donate to fundraisers on Facebook or Instagram too (we’re finally blue check mark verified!), knowing those funds take a bit longer to arrive.
  • There is now a Ukrainian migrant task force consisting of experienced immigration attorneys, attorney bar associations, law firms, and law school clinics.  Razom volunteers are there too!  If you are a lawyer willing to help, fill out this form to get involved.
  • Join a rally to #StandWithUkraine to meet Ukrainians, connect with each other, and learn about what’s at stake in the world right now.  There’s a repository of rallies & protests held around the world here.  You can add a rally or protest to that list here.  
    • In New York City on Saturday, March 5th, there will be a 1pm rally in Times Square and a Stand With Ukraine Community Concertat 5pm at the Ukrainian National Home.  You can purchase your tickets to that here. 

An Update on Razom’s Emergency Response Project:

  • We’ve raised over $4M in the past week, and with your continued support hope to significantly increase that number.  It’s never been more important than now to support work in Ukraine.  
  • A 20 ton shipment of tactical medical and hospital supplies is making its way through customs in New Jersey right now.  
  • We’ve rented out a Boeing 787 from LOT Polish Airlines to be able to fill and transport an entire aircraft of only the most urgent emergency supplies for Ukraine by Tuesday, March 8th.
  • We’ve partnered with Americares to procure their entire surplus of tactical medical supplies (9 pallets) that should make it’s way to New Jersey in a day or two.   
  • We can’t wait to keep you updated on the impact of your support, and post regular updates about the project on our site. 

Supplies from Poland

Published: March 1, 2022   

In order to expedite the delivery of much-needed medical supplies to Ukraine, Razom first and foremost set out to buy up resources in Europe. Thanks to eight years of active cooperation with Euromaidan – Warszawa, including a large network of volunteers (some of whom traveled across Europe and relocated to Poland!), we have a team of dedicated and trusted volunteers.

They were able to purchase supplies within only a few hours of discovery and now it’s all ready for the delivery to Ukraine, which will take much shorter time.

The supplies include the following:
large standard police bags with pre-set first aid content, including hydrogel bandages, valve bandages, modular bandages, waterproof individual bandages, rescue scissors, CELOX gauzes, etc., as well as medical stretchers.

It’s day 7 of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and time is always running against us, because it is.  That’s why Razom is working hard at confirming partnerships with some major international corporations/suppliers in order to deliver goods in bulk and ensure that every time the shipments make the journey to Ukraine, the containers are absolutely filled to the brim.  

In the meantime, the incredible amount of individual contributors seizing the moment to buy up medical or tactical medical supplies in the largest quantities possible are keeping our Emergency Response moving forward.  Thank you to the volunteers in Poland.   Thank you to the doctors across the US and Canada who are leveraging their roles to negotiate purchases on our behalf and even at times making donations “in kind” or waiting days, if not weeks, to be reimbursed.  Thank you to all those who share their on-the-ground intelligence with us so we can coordinate the best routes for shipment.  Thank you to those who have become master coordinators for humanitarian aid.  And of course, thank you to all the donors that care.

Learn more about Razom Emergency Response.

Newsletter #2: What Razom has accomplished in 3 days

Published: February 28, 2022   

Razom’s teams of volunteers – a truly diverse group of individuals and partnering organizations across US, Europe, and Ukraine – have been urgently working to establish highly efficient procurement, logistics, and distribution channels.  We are constantly working against the clock on this and cannot begin to properly thank all those determined to make it happen!  At the same time, we have been hard at work analyzing the overwhelming amount of support in donations from you and are finally here to deliver some long awaited updates. 

Razom was founded on purely volunteering efforts of Ukrainian Americans in NYC during the 2013-14 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.  Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian, believes in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world united by a single goal: to unlock the potential of Ukraine.  We work towards that mission by creating spaces where people meet, partner, and act.

Razom has maintained an open Emergency Response project since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 where we mobilized to procure medical and tactical supplies to the eastern front.  We picked up this project again in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to fundraise for, procure, and deliver medical supplies across covid hot spots in Ukraine.  Since 2014, the Emergency Response fund has always remained open for donors so that we were in a position to act swiftly in support of Ukrainians in crisis situations.  When reports came that Russia began amassing troops on Ukraine’s borders, we began actively promoting for the Emergency Response fund again on February 18, 2022.

Given that Razom is an entirely volunteer-run organization, our grassroots network is our key asset.  All of our fundraising efforts for the Emergency Response project are conducted via social media and word-of-mouth.  Donors have the option to donate via Facebook and Instagram where individuals are able to start their own fundraising campaigns on behalf of an organization.  Razom has spent years amplifying voices from Ukraine in conversations around the world, therefore we were able to swiftly communicate to our community the reality of the war in Ukraine.  We organized resources for those interested in an easily accessible information hub (Linktr.ee/RazomForUkraine) and our awareness and global reach grew at least sevenfold in a matter of one-and-a-half days.  Razom’s list of resources via the Linktree went viral, even so far as to become a poster slogan at major rallies across New York and D.C. and posted through the social media accounts of people with large followings.

Since our campaign going viral, to date, people have donated over $768,000 via social media alone.  These funds will take as much as four weeks to transfer to our accounts, as per the policies of Meta.  However with the increased visibility of Razom as a trusted resource for individuals looking to do something about the injustices and tragedy in Ukraine,  many people chose to donate directly to our PayPal and bank accounts.  Since February 18th, we’ve raised over $1.05M through those efforts.  Within 5 days 14,371 donors contributed directly; the average donation size was under $100.  In total, we expect to have $1.8M to deploy.

Over the past eight years, Razom has led several projects or partner projects in the healthcare space.  These include programs that allow doctors based in the US to train doctors in Ukraine (Co-Pilot Project) and organizing container shipments for hospitals in Ukraine.  During the global pandemic Razom led several waves of projects to procure and distribute PPE (in the early days of the pandemic) and later, medical equipment to hospitals. Thanks to the relationships nurtured and impact of those projects, we were able to identify doctors across the United States who could procure medical supplies on behalf of Razom.  This list of doctors doubled and tripled within hours through word-of-mouth allowing us to purchase more goods at once to fill large shipments.  

When it comes to the logistics and transport process, Razom is building a scalable, repeatable logistics operation to efficiently prioritize needs and deliver goods to the appropriate destinations.  We’re partnering with organizations in the US, Ukraine, and Poland, that we’ve worked with since the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.  Given the urgency and scale of the needs however, we are also actively building new partnerships.  We hope to provide more details soon, and in the meantime you can keep tabs on our progress over on our website. 

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Stay razom.

A Deep Dive into Razom Emergency Response

Published: February 28, 2022   

Razom’s teams of volunteers – a truly diverse group of individuals and partnering organizations across the US, Europe, and Ukraine – have been urgently working to establish highly efficient procurement, logistics, and distribution channels.  We are constantly working against the clock on this and cannot begin to properly thank all those determined to make it happen!  At the same time, we have been hard at work analyzing the overwhelming amount of support in donations from you and are finally here to deliver some long-awaited updates.  

How the Emergency Response Project Began

Razom was founded on purely volunteering efforts of Ukrainian Americans in NYC during the 2013-14 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.  Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian, believes in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world united by a single goal: to unlock the potential of Ukraine.  We work towards that mission by creating spaces where people meet, partner, and act.

Razom has maintained an open Emergency Response project since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 where we mobilized to procure medical and tactical supplies to the eastern front.  We picked up this project again in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to fundraise for, procure, and deliver medical supplies across covid hot spots in Ukraine.  Since 2014, the Emergency Response fund has always remained open for donors so that we were in a position to act swiftly in support of Ukrainians in crisis situations.  When reports came that Russia began amassing troops on Ukraine’s borders, we began actively promoting for the Emergency Response fund again on February 18, 2022.

Currently our work is focused on purchasing tactical medical supplies (for critical situations like blood loss etc in the field) and medical supplies needed in hospitals.  Thanks to having one of the largest and most active volunteer networks in the Ukrainian-American diaspora, we’ve been able to quickly build a procurement team that purchases life-saving supplies across the US and Europe.  Additionally, thanks to our years of work with volunteers and organizations in Ukraine, we have a logistics team that’s able to transport our supplies from Warsaw, Poland to Ukraine.  

Fundraising Success

Given that Razom is an entirely volunteer-run organization, our grassroots network is our key asset.  All of our fundraising efforts for the Emergency Response project are conducted via social media and word-of-mouth.  Donors have the option to donate via Facebook and Instagram where individuals are able to start their own fundraising campaigns on behalf of an organization.  Razom has spent years amplifying voices from Ukraine in conversations around the world, therefore we were able to swiftly communicate to our community the reality of the war in Ukraine.  We organized resources for those interested in an easily accessible information hub (Linktr.ee/RazomForUkraine) and our awareness and global reach grew at least sevenfold in a matter of one-and-a-half days.  Razom’s list of resources via the Linktree went viral, even so far as to become a poster slogan at major rallies across New York and D.C. and posted through the social media accounts of people with large followings. 

Since fundraising efforts began on February 18th via Facebook, our campaign went viral and people around the world launched independent Instagram fundraisers.  To date, people have donated over $768,000 via social media alone.  These funds will take as much as four weeks to transfer to our accounts, as per the policies of Meta.  However with the increased visibility of Razom as a trusted resource for individuals looking to do something about the injustices and tragedy in Ukraine,  many people chose to donate directly to our PayPal and bank accounts.  Since February 18th, we’ve raised over $1.05M through those efforts.  Within 5 days 14,371 donors contributed directly; the average donation size was under $100.  In total, we expect to have $1.8M to deploy.

The Procurement Process

Over the past eight years, Razom has led several projects or partner projects in the healthcare space.  These include programs that allow doctors based in the US to train doctors in Ukraine (Co-Pilot Project) and organizing container shipments for hospitals in Ukraine.  During the global pandemic Razom led several waves of projects to procure and distribute PPE (in the early days of the pandemic) and later, medical equipment to hospitals.  Thanks to the relationships nurtured and impact of those projects, we were able to identify doctors across the United States who could procure medical supplies on behalf of Razom.  This list of doctors doubled and tripled within hours through word-of-mouth allowing us to purchase more goods at once to fill large shipments. 

The Logistics & Transport Network

Razom is building a scalable, repeatable logistics operation to efficiently prioritize needs and deliver goods to the appropriate destinations.  We’re partnering with organizations in the US, Ukraine, and Poland, that we’ve worked with since the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.  Given the urgency and scale of the needs, we are also actively building new partnerships.  We hope to provide more details soon!

Thank you so much for your continued support.  We’re razom.