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.