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

Razom x Face to Face Medical Mission

American doctors in Ukraine
Published: November 5, 2022   

During September 16-24th, Razom facilitated a medical mission for the group of 11 American doctors and nurses from AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) to deliver advanced reconstructive surgeries and corrective plastic procedures to patients who suffered as a result of russia’s war on Ukraine. In the spirit of collaboration and learning, American and Ukrainian colleagues worked side by side at the medical facility of Ivano Frankivsk Oblast Hospital.

On May 22, 2022, we received an email that read:

“My name is Dr. Manoj Abraham and I am a Facial Plastic Surgeon based in New York.  I am the Chair of the Face To Face Committee, the humanitarian arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and I am a Governor for the American College of Surgeons.  We are looking to partner with anyone sending medical teams to safe areas in Ukraine or surrounding areas to help treat those with facial injuries from the war – we have experience doing this previously in Croatia.  We will need to connect with hospitals and doctors in the local area to help coordinate, and I am hoping you can put me in touch with anyone who can help with making these arrangements.  My contact information is listed below.  I look forward to hearing from you.  

Thanks, Manoj”

This email started a massive collaboration that resulted in the Razom x Face to Face Medical Mission, giving 31 Ukrainians, military and civilians alike, extremely complex reconstructive surgeries and a chance to have a normal life.

Our team immediately saw the incredible potential and the major challenge of implementing such a mission, especially in the ongoing war. At first, it seemed almost impossible to find and connect all the dots to make it happen. Even the American College of Surgeons sadly informed Dr. Manoj T. Abraham:

“Many of you have reached out to us, asking how you can contribute to the care of victims in war-torn Ukraine.

At this time, no current role or mechanism exists for safe travel to help in person.”

But Razom’s team decided to embrace the challenge. We mobilized all connections and resources available to us to ensure that such an altruistic and invaluable for Ukrainian people intention becomes a reality.

Razom for Ukraine has been bringing doctors from the US to Ukraine since 2016 to work with surgeons on the ground and perform neurosurgery as a part of The Co-Pilot Project initiated and run by Razom’s co-founder Mariya Soroka and her husband, Dr. Luke Tomycz, Neurosurgeon at The Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey. The project has been a huge success and has given us a decent network of Ukrainian and American healthcare professionals and partners.

American doctors in Ukraine

Hundreds of hours, miles of correspondence, and countless Zoom calls went into planning this mission. First, we connected with Dr. Ivanka Nebor – ENT doctor, founder, and president of INgenius, a platform for the development of medicine and science in Ukraine. Thanks to her professional network of young physicians in Ukraine, we were able to install the first wheel to the Face to Face vehicle. 

We needed a hospital with operating theaters, postoperative care units, inpatient wards, and possible intensive care units. It was vital not to disrupt the care that was already being provided to the patients. The Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Hospital and Ukrainian ENT doctor Natalia Komashko and her team courageously embraced a massive workload by taking on a lot of challenging cases in a short period of time.

American and Ukrainian
Dr. Natalia Komashko and Dr. Ivanka Nebor

Finding the Ukrainian doctors and a hospital both interested and able to facilitate the American doctors’ efforts was only the beginning. Ahead of us laid a lengthy and complex process of recruiting and screening the patients. INgenius has utilized its platform and social media outreach to spread the word.

Patients’ stories moved, shook, and horrified us. The survivors of russian aggression hailed from locations notorious for war crimes and atrocities, such as Bucha, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Izyum. Repairing facial scars could be the final stage in their arduous medical journeys, allowing them to finally get closure, feel whole again, and return to society. Understanding that recuperation and readjustment to society are greatly aided by psychological rehabilitation, Razom invited our “Razom With You” therapists from the Ivano-Frankivsk Support Center to help the patients cope and process what happened to them.

English subtitles are available for this video

There were a large number of applications, but only the 34 most complicated ones could be selected. Not only did the patients need all of the supporting medical documentation for the screening process, but they also had to be physically able to withstand long hours of complicated surgeries.

After months of planning, long hours of surgery, and heartbreaking patient stories, this mission has deeply touched every participant. The American doctors’ and nurses’ incredible selfless devotion to helping people will long be remembered and appreciated by all Ukrainians.

Manoj T Abraham — MD
Bruce Moskowitz — MD
Augustine Moscatello — MD
Sherard ‘Scott’ Tatum — MD
Ivanka Nebor — MD
John Frodel — MD
Grigoriy Mashkevich — MD
Luke Tomycz — MD
Glenn Castaneda — MD
Boris Chernobilsky — MD
Susan Ketigian — Nurse
Debbie Fritz – Nurse
Lindsey Norrito — Surgical tech
Maria Soroka – Razom, Project Manager
Oksana Falenchuk – Razom, Project Manager

The goal of this mission isn’t only to perform the medical procedures but to teach the Ukrainian doctors employ these incredible technologies in their practice. Throughout the entire week, all surgeries were broadcasted and available live for all medical professionals in Ukraine to observe and learn. Razom’s focus was always to support the democracy and prosperity in Ukraine, and modern healthcare is a vital part of any society. We strive to continue developing the avenues for education and experience exchange on both sides of the Atlantic by implementing more missions and projects that aid this process.

Please, donate to help us rebuild Ukraine and ensure that Ukrainian people have access to technologies available in the modern healthcare field

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

Razom Says Dyakuyu – Thank You – to Fox Rock Foundation

Published: October 10, 2022   

We are excited to share with you our series Razom Says Dyakuyu. “Dyakuyu” means “thank you” in Ukrainian. Our work supporting Ukraine would not be possible without the generous donations made by donors. This series highlights some of the amazing philanthropists and unique fundraisers that have supported Razom.

Razom is delighted to announce that we received a $1,000,000 donation from Karen and Rob Hale through their family foundation, Fox Rock Foundation.

“We are pleased to support Razom in their emergency response in Ukraine, which will enable them to continue to scale their emergency response to the unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We are impressed by the impact of their dedicated work to deliver life-saving medical supplies to people who need them most and inspired by their work to support internally displaced people by providing food, water, and shelter through a vast network of nonprofit partners on the ground in Ukraine,” said Karen Hale.

Fox Rock Foundation is a private family foundation established by Karen and Rob Hale and their adult children, Trevor, Thomas, and Brett, to inspire health in our communities and our environment, with more opportunity for all.

The foundation’s current focus is a series of grant partnerships with small and midsized nonprofits making a difference on a variety of causes in New England and beyond. Fox Rock Foundation builds on the philanthropy of Hales’ other charitable funds, like Granite Gives Back and FoxRock Cares. Through numerous giving channels, the Hale family has pledged or donated more than $300 million to a broad range of worthy causes. Razom is honored to be among this year’s beneficiaries. Forbes featured their remarkable philanthropy in a recent story: www.forbes.com.

The Hale family’s generous contribution is a sizable part of the $64M raised by Razom since February 24, 2022. All funds are directed to the immediate emergency response in Ukraine and have helped Razom to ship over 400 tons of medical equipment:

  • 16 3136 tourniquets; 
  • 90 000 first aid kits;
  • over 1,303 tactical medical backpacks; 
  • 100,000+ chest wound seals;
  • over 300 wound vac machines. (The Razom Impact Report, July 2022)

Additionally, Razom has provided grants to over 100 volunteer organizations in Ukraine that work tirelessly to deliver food, water, and shelter to people in hot zones, including recently liberated regions. Delivering help to Ukrainians, Razom drivers have driven farther than circling the globe seven times!

The Fox Rock Foundation donation started with a voicemail left at the Razom office in May. Razom volunteer, Yulia O’Connell, returned a call to the foundation and was asked to tell them about Razom. Yulia shared from the heart and told the Fox Rock Foundation leader why she has volunteered with Razom from the moment she moved to NYC. (Yulia is from Donetsk and spent several years living in Moscow.)

Since its establishment in 2014, Razom has created an inspiring community-building spirit and developed incredible patronage programs. For example, Veteranius is a project that supports Ukrainian veterans in embarking upon a career in IT. Building Ukraine Together (BUR) is a Ukraine-based NGO reminiscent of Habitat for Humanity that rebuilds schools, community centers, and housing for internally displaced Ukrainians.

Yulia also described how Razom volunteers in the US and Ukraine jumped into action in February to galvanize a robust first aid response, bringing much-needed medical aid to the front lines and Ukrainian hospitals. A few days later, Yulia received another call from the foundation and was thrilled to learn that Razom would receive a $1M donation from Fox Rock Foundation. The foundation representative explained that they wanted to support Razom because it was an established organization with a long track record supporting Ukrainian causes. It had the infrastructure to process the donation efficiently and get help to Ukraine quickly.

Razom extends a heartfelt dyakuyu – thank you – to Fox Rock Foundation for their confidence and trust in Razom’s mission.

School of soft skills development. Summer camp for children of ukrainian defenders

Published: October 9, 2022   

Society bears particular responsibility for a special category of children – children of Ukrainian defenders. This category of teenagers is outside the regular agenda of social and psychological projects, but they experience tremendous emotional tension caused by the war and family losses. Some of them have been experiencing war trauma since 2014. Against the backdrop of the war, Ukrainian teenagers are dealing with regular challenges of their age: immersing in the outside world, getting to know it, testing their capabilities in it, and figuring out a way to realize their potential.

The formation of healthy values shapes the capacity of the next generation to build a happy and prosperous future in Ukraine. Caring about the future of Ukraine, Razom fully sponsored a project called “School of soft skills development SSSD” designed and implemented by the Ukrainian NGO “ReSOURCE” and their team of experienced educators, psychologists, coaches, and activists.

From August 15 to 23, 2022, they organized a summer camp for teenagers from the families of Ukrainian soldiers who died defending their homes and those who continue fighting for peace and freedom on their land. Forty-six teenagers (12-16 yo) spent nine days at the sanatorium “Dibrova” in the Kyiv region. They had full board, attended workshops and excursions, and relaxed and socialized with peers.

Every participant got to learn how to:

  • assess their capacity for offline learning after almost two years of attending classes only online;
  • listen to each other and communicate productively;
  • work effectively in teams;
  • believe in themselves and inspire others;
  • share individual experiences;
  • respect and hold each other up.

Statistics of the 9-day program:

  • 30 hours of studying;
  • 20 hours of cultural and educational workshops;
  • 6 hours of joint teamwork on self-started projects.

During the workshop “Ukrainian charms” on the first day of camp, the participants made patriotic guardian angel charms and bracelets. Some kids even made several charms to gift to their family and friends.

Soulful conversations and evenings together created unique emotions and joy that helped the teenagers get to know each other. They shared personal experiences and sang Ukrainian songs supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the Karaoke evening “Guess the Melody.”

Together drew the picture “Ukraine is all of us!”; presented short TikTok videos “Soft skills of teenagers”; and simply chatted while playing board games. 

One of the days, they watched the movie “Miracle” and discussed the questions about the meaning of life, family, friendship, love, and, most importantly, choosing to do good at every stage of life.

Another day, during the English-speaking club, they developed a business project called “Around Ukraine.” Working in teams, the participants chose exciting places in Ukraine they’d like to visit with friends, developed the route, supplies, and marketing plans, and then presented their business plan in English.

Morning group exercises energized and prepared the participants for the daily workshops. Inspiring hikes along the Ros River and the Arboretum of Oleksandriia provided an opportunity to learn more about the history and culture of the place where these children grew up. During the breaks, they talked about the Victory and plans for the future.

During the whole stay at the camp, each participant had the opportunity to receive individual psychological support on the issues concerning them.

This help wasn’t imposed, but instead offered casually during daily life. At times, psychologists and coaches supervising the camp noticed the change in the mood, behavior, or unwillingness to partake in one task. They asked them questions, trying to get to the root of the problem and find a solution together.

These conversations addressed a variety of issues: concern for the fate and health of parents fighting at the front lines; parents’ divorce; social anxiety; struggling with self-presentation and self-expression; isolation (as a result of remote schooling); inner conflicts in teams; uncertainty in choosing a future career.

The coaches were thrilled to see the drive, enthusiasm, and openness to knowledge that teenagers took with them into the world, and the feedback was the most gratifying thing:

“Everyone has to experience this.”

“This is a school that prepares for real life.”

“I finally became myself.”

“Incredible project.”

The “ReSOURCE” team completed this project with great faith in Ukrainian youth and admiration for their capabilities, ideas, and desire to do great things for the country. After all, youth is the driving force of any society, and Razom and “ReSOURCE” are happy to help Ukrainian children grow.

The Razom Grants team aims to help local Ukrainian volunteer organizations to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the war.

Additional donation options available at www.razomforukraine.org/donate

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.

DONATE to Razom via our Amazon WishList

Trip to Ukraine. Building a Future in Wartime

Published: October 4, 2022   

Oksana Falenchuk, Razom Board Member, Treasurer and Hospitals Team leader, has recently returned from Ukraine. These are her field notes that both inform and inspire. And as Oksana believes: “It is a very special time to visit Ukraine. If you have any desire to, you should”.

~ by Oksana Falenchuk:

Visiting Ukraine during the war won’t be easy to forget, but fearing that memories fade I decided to put some of the thoughts in writing. I have not witnessed the actual war – the cities of Lviv and Ivano Frankivsk are away from the frontlines and, aside from an occasional air siren and 11pm curfew, everyday life feels completely normal. The fact that electricity is on, showers have hot water, coffee shops and restaurants are buzzing and store shelves are full, is a reflection of Ukraine’s resiliency. Faced with an existential choice, people decided to preserve their everyday lives – celebrate holidays, shop, party, go to concerts, and travel. Just like the Americans did after 9/11. It is a very special time to visit Ukraine. If you have any desire to, you should. 

I am grateful to the people who gave me their time, met for coffee or dinner, shared a walk or a car ride. Too many meetings and unexpected run-ins to mention everyone.  

Our Razom for Ukraine team in Lviv is incredible – they built a complex logistical operation within a short few months, they work hard, always with a smile. The coffee at the office is the best, and there was always something sweet and yummy to go with it. 

Our medical aid partners Zdorovi Agency and Patients of Ukraine are effectively cooperating on distributing critical medical supplies, medications and equipment to Ukrainian hospitals, but are also planning for the future, focusing on projects that will bring modern diagnostic equipment and designing programs for physical and mental rehabilitation of the victims of war. 

I was fortunate to visit the opening of Ukrainian Leadership Academy (UAL). Being among the brightest 16-year-olds gives you incredible energy and hope. The war has disrupted UAL’s life in a major way – last year, they operated in several locations across Ukraine, including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Kyiv. Now everyone is consolidated in Lviv. Close to 100 of UAL’s alumni and staff are fighting on the frontlines, and four of their boys lost their lives. The war takes our best. 

Building Ukraine Together (BUR) has always been a personal favorite grassroots organization. BUR is renovating housing for the displaced people so they can integrate into their new communities. They have grown and institutionalized, but the camps are still run with minimal comforts as my son Mark can attest. That’s part of the charm! 

Ukraine’s cultural life is vibrant. Marjana Savka, over coffee at her bookshop, noted that the sales of modern Ukrainian literature have gone up since the war, as well as requests for translations from overseas. Pavlo Gudimov’s YaGallery’s current exhibit bears this slogan at the entrance: “Glory to Ukraine and glory to the Armed Forces, which give us the opportunity to engage in culture: to build the future in wartime!”  

Ukrainian businesses have mobilized for the war but continue to innovate, among them Fest , Promprylad, Urban Space. One of the ways we can support Ukraine is to buy Ukrainian and keep the economy going. I didn’t do much shopping on the trip but got some sustainable fashion at Framiore, floral ceramics at EtnostylFaino and stocked up on everyone’s favorite beverage П’яна Вишня.

Finally, the main purpose of the trip – the first medical mission to Ukraine, a joint project of  the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), Razom for Ukraine and INgenius. 14 American surgeons and nurses for a week operated on patients with severe injuries of face and neck at the Ivano Frankivsk Oblast hospital alongside the Ukrainian colleagues led by an incredible Dr Komashko. Close to 40 procedures, some lasted as long as 10 hours. The group brought $325K in medical supplies (including custom designed implants) and donated ~$300K in the value of surgeries. Razom z Toboyu therapists provided counseling and psychological support .  A chance of new life for 31 patients. People from Bucha, Izyum, Kherson, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy. People with wounds and burns from shelling, mine explosions, direct gunshots, artillery fire. None of those things had to happen to them. The real scars of war are only beginning to show. And healing them will take generations. 

Razom has been at the forefront of humanitarian response in Ukraine since day one of the full scale invasion. As the war continues to rip our country, we are focusing our efforts on winter preparedness, supporting the local healthcare institutions and grassroots NGO, and advocating for Ukraine on the global stage. Please support our efforts.  

Razom Says Dyakuyu – Thank You – to NYC Moms for a Cause

Published: September 26, 2022   

We are excited to share with you our series Razom Says Dyakuyu. “Dyakuyu” means “thank you” in Ukrainian. Our work supporting Ukraine and getting humanitarian aid on the ground where it is needed most, would not be possible without the generous donations made by donors. With this series, we are highlighting some of the amazing donors and unique fundraisers that have supported Razom.

Since February 24, 2022, many groups have reached out to Razom with initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine. One of the first was NYC Moms, a group that formed during COVID-19 to navigate parenting during the pandemic. It is these incredible Moms that Razom wants to thank wholeheartedly for having turned to us in solidarity and organized an event that helps us carry out a humanitarian aid project in Ukraine. Faced with the reality of russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the New York City mothers decided to act to support Ukrainian people by forming NYC Moms for a Cause. 

The Moms put together an Evening for Ukraine: A Cocktail Reception to Benefit Ukrainian Families. The event and auction were held on the evening of April 12. It was one of the first events in New York City uniting people in solidarity with Ukraine and collecting funds for Razom’s Emergency Response Project. The gala gathered guests in the French gothic style mansion of the Ukrainian Institute of America on the Upper East Side and showcased various elements of Ukrainian culture.

“The moms recognized the critical need to help families in crisis,” the group said when announcing the event. “Additionally, several group members have personal ties to Ukraine through family, colleagues, and nonprofit work in the region.” 

Along with words of solidarity and support for Ukraine, the event immersed the audience in all-things-Ukrainian including a demonstration of how to decorate Ukrainian pysanky (Ukraine’s traditional decorated Easter eggs), an exhibit of art, performances of Ukrainian music and dance, and the sale of blue and yellow angel ornaments made by children. All of this was accompanied by drinks and treats including traditional Ukrainian cuisine. 

The pinnacle of the evening was the silent auction which collected funds for Razom’s humanitarian relief work in Ukraine. Together with the sale of the lots, individual contributions in the form of crypto currency donations checks, the event yielded over $100,000. Hundred percent of it was entrusted to Razom to convert into aid for vulnerable civilians in Ukraine. As NYC Moms for a Cause envisioned, this sum entered Razom’s pool of funds that our teams strategically allocate toward providing aid for displaced families, the delivery of medical supplies, and other critical relief.

Razom and all the people whom we’ve been able to support on the ground in Ukraine during the war say “dyakuyu” to Moms for a Cause for their solidarity with Ukraine and support for Razom’s humanitarian efforts.