How we’re working together towards victory in 2023

Published: February 15, 2023   

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

Dear Razom community,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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January Updates from Razom Health: Hospital-Grade Generators and Much-Needed Medical Aid

Published: January 29, 2023   

While russia continues shelling Ukrainian cities, Razom is providing critical aid to Ukrainians impacted by these terrorizing attacks. Ukraine’s medical system is facing enormous challenges, but our partners have been helping us support civilian hospitals since day one of the war. The following are the most recent updates from our outstanding Razom Health team.

Thanks to a generous grant from Americares, Razom Health was able to procure 11 powerful generators for Ukrainian hospitals. Together with the help of our Ukrainian partners Patients of Ukraine and Zdorovi Agency our team will distribute them to the medical facilities that need them most. Providing generators will ensure that even during power outages doctors can continue providing emergency care and will be able to save the lives of many civilians. The first three generators are already on their way from our warehouse in Kyiv to hospitals in Kryvyi Rih, Marganets, and Tomakivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine. To continue this critical initiative, we plan to procure at least 10 more generators so that we can assist hospitals in need throughout Ukraine.


Pictured below are an anesthesia machine that was recently delivered to a hospital in Dnipro and two containers of critical medical aid donated by Partners For World Health. We are grateful to our friends at Zdorovi Agency for distributing these items to the facilities that need them most.

In the aftermath of traumatic injuries caused by the war, many Ukrainian civilians are in need of durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches. Our partners Afya Foundation have been a leading donor of this equipment to Razom Health. Pictured here is the third and final container of Afya’s latest donation. This medical equipment will be distributed to hospitals, rehab facilities, and nursing homes throughout Ukraine.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is wheelchairs-walkers-and-crutches-Health.jpg

We’d also like to thank our longtime partners WearFigs for boosting the spirits of Ukrainian healthcare workers this holiday season. FIGS supplied Ukrainian medical professionals with brand-new sets of their comfortable scrubs – a very welcome (and necessary) holiday gift for Ukraine’s healthcare heroes experiencing work and wartime fatigue. Thank you, FIGS, for showing how you stand with Ukraine!

This mission and aid would be impossible without the donations of thousands of caring people like you who sincerely support Ukraine. We appreciate your donations and encourage you to continue your vital support of the project. No donation is too small, especially when it comes to saving lives.

December Updates from Razom Health: Medications, Wheelchairs and More

Published: December 30, 2022   

Razom Health team continues working hard on ensuring support of American and international organizations, funds and establishments, to provide diverse aid for hospitals and Ukrainian healthcare system overall. Here are the highlights of the last month of 2022.

During wartime, Ukrainian hospitals and the wider civilian population are experiencing severe shortages of medications. Razom Health is working to meet this ever-present need. Thanks to a generous donation from our partners at Sapientia, we are happy to share that many hospitals in hot-spot regions have recently received levothyroxine – a critical thyroid medication.

Shout out to David and Rachel – pictured here with our own Razom team members – who traveled halfway around the world (NYC —> Lviv ) to hand-deliver critical supplies for surgical departments in Ukrainian hospitals. This was made possible through the “Luggage for Life” program at Afya Foundation – a dedicated Razom Health partner.

This winter, with Ukraine’s basic infrastructure under attack, reliable heat sources are of the utmost importance for medical facilities – and Razom Health is meeting this need. Pictured here are the first of several oil heaters that Razom has procured for hospitals throughout the country. These two were delivered to hospitals in Izium and Balakliia, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv oblast.

Pictured below is the recent delivery of wheelchairs to two hospitals in central Ukraine: the Veterans Hospital in Kropyvnytskyi and Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro.  This could only become possible thanks to our network of partners and donors – thank you for helping us support Ukraine!

These are just few examples of the critical supplies that Razom is able to procure and deliver to Ukrainian hospitals, thanks to generous donations from our community. Want to help Ukrainian doctors, nurses, and patients this winter? Please consider supporting our work – donations of all sizes make a difference!

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

Published: December 16, 2022   

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

Dear Razom community,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Washinton, D.C.:

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

In New York:

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

In Massachusetts:

In Florida:

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

Online:

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

Globally: 

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

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

Stay razom.

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

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November Update from our Razom Health Team

Published: November 20, 2022   

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. Our Razom Health Team is working hard to partner up with global leaders in healthcare and organize the delivery of diverse medical aid to Ukrainian towns and cities. The following are the highlights of their work in the month of November.

Thanks to our partners at MedShare, 11 more pallets of donated medical supplies are making their way to Ukrainian hospitals in need. This was MedShare’s sixth large shipment to Ukraine via Razom since March 2022, and this committed support is helping Ukrainian doctors save lives. We also remain grateful to our partners on the ground Zdorovi Agency, who are distributing these critical supplies within Ukraine.


Another large donation of medications that are providing life-saving support to Ukrainian hospitals was contributed by our generous partners at CMMB. And thanks to Airlink Flight and again Zdorovi Agency, these medications are getting to the people who need them most, as quickly as possible.

Remember those butterfly network iQ+ portable ultrasounds that Razom procured earlier?
We’re happy to report that 14 of these devices have been distributed among Ukrainian hospitals in dire need, once again thanks to our partners Zdorovi Agency. These ultrasounds are already helping doctors treat patients in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, and Mykolaiv. Portable ultrasounds are vital in providing diagnostic evaluation in emergency situations. They enable clinicians to diagnose and treat patients faster, more accurately, and in a non-invasive way.

Health care leader Henry Schein is helping us support Ukraine – and Razom is grateful. Henry Schein 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 grantee and partner Rescue Now distributed these kits, in line with their ongoing work to provide humanitarian aid in Eastern Ukraine. The individuals pictured here are residents of Kharkiv.


Our community’s financial support makes this life-saving and health-supporting work possible, and we are grateful to all of you and our incredible partners in the health care field.

And we also remain deeply grateful to our partners on the ground like Zdorovi Agency, Airlink Flight and Rescue Now, who are distributing these medical supplies within Ukraine.

Razom Health Team works on obtaining and delivering large in-kind donations to Ukrainian hospitals that need them the most. Such donations are medical equipment, furniture and supplies. Razom Health is a part of the Razom Emergency Response. If you have suggestions of large donations to hospitals, reach out to the team at hospitals@razomforukraine.org.

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

Updates from Our Razom Health Team: Medical Equipment Delivered to Ukraine

Published: September 13, 2022   

We are eager to share with you some good news from the Razom Health Team:

A 40-foot container full of durable medical equipment donated by Afya Foundation – including walkers, stretchers, wheelchairs, crutches, and more – has arrived at Razom’s warehouse in Lviv. This much-needed equipment will now be distributed by Rescue Now – an organization that delivers humanitarian aid, supports the elderly, and evacuates people and pets in eastern Ukraine.

Six more Butterfly iQ+ portable ultrasounds from Butterfly Network, Inc have made it to Ukraine.
These will be used in hospitals throughout the Kharkhiv and Lviv oblasts, and more are en route to other areas of Ukraine. There is a strong need for mobile diagnostics throughout the country, and Razom is helping to meet this need. In addition to hospitals, we have been supporting mobile clinics by procuring and delivering some of the most-requested equipment – including these portable ultrasounds. This equipment delivery is part of our broader work to support and train Ukrainian medical professionals operating in conditions of urban warfare. Back in April, Razom helped support a MedGlobal medical mission, during which Ukrainian doctors learned to operate in hospitals dealing with an unprecedented influx of wounded patients, where diagnoses and treatments have to be made on the move.

Another vital shipment of donated medications from our partners at Americares has also arrived in Ukraine. To date, Americares has donated ten shipments of medicines and medical supplies for Ukrainian hospitals via Razom Health Team. Our on-the-ground partners Zdorovi will distribute this latest shipment, ensuring that the medications reach the hospitals and patients most in need.

It takes a village to support Ukraine and we are deeply grateful to Afya Foundation, Americares, Butterfly Network and everyone who partners with us in this life-saving work!

Razom Health Team works on obtaining and delivering large in-kind donations to Ukrainian hospitals that need them the most. Such donations are medical equipment, furniture and supplies. Razom Health is a part of the Razom Emergency Response. If you have suggestions of large donations to hospitals, reach out to the team at hospitals@razomforukraine.org.

Meeting with Partners Who Help Ukrainian Hospitals

Published: August 23, 2022   

On August 16, Razom hosted an event welcoming our key medical aid distribution partner Zdorovi Agency to the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City to meet our US-based medical donation partners.

Zdorovi CEO Nataliia Tulinova gave a firsthand account of her organization’s work to help cover the tremendous needs of Ukrainian hospitals right now. Since February 24, Zdorovi has distributed 231 tons of medical aid through 332 deliveries to hospitals, maternity centers, and elder facilities in 22 regions across the country. Around 70% of this aid has come from Razom and its US-based donation partners.

The meeting was also a call to action. Nearly one quarter of Ukrainian hospitals have been damaged or occupied since the start of the war. The upcoming winter also poses new challenges – reliable energy sources and heating will be most critical. Ukraine’s Ministry of Health estimates that 627 hospitals will soon need generators.

Razom extends a huge thank you to all our partners who joined the event in-person and virtually: Americares, Medshare, CMMB, Partners For World Health, Afya Foundation, Airlink Flight, Plast USA, and UMANA – Ukrainian Medical Association of North America.

We are pleased to share a few recent impact photos from our trusted partner Zdorovi Agency, which continues to distribute donated medical aid to hospitals throughout Ukraine.

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Razom Hospitals Team works on obtaining and delivering large in-kind donations to Ukrainian hospitals that need them the most. Such donations are medical equipment, furniture and supplies. Razom Hospitals is a part of the Razom Emergency Response. If you have suggestions of large donations to hospitals, reach out to the team at hospitals@razomforukraine.org.

Razom Health Team Deliver to Pediatrician in Lviv, Ukraine

Published: August 16, 2022   

With every shipment of donated medical aid, Razom’s Health Team, which collects and delivers large in-kind donations, hears about the impact of its work directly from Ukrainian medical practitioners. Sometimes, these messages are bittersweet, but they remind us why we must #SupportUkraine.

Recently, we shipped 30 jars of Weaver Ten20 Conductive Paste and four boxes of topiramate (an anticonvulsant medication) — donated by Dr. Soma Sengupta at the University of Cincinnati — to Dr. Mariia Pavliuk, a Pediatric Neurologist/Neurophysiologist at St. Nicholas Hospital in Lviv.

Dr. Pavliuk and her colleagues in the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery will use these items to conduct EEG tests and detect possible seizure activities in their pediatric patients. Here is what Dr. Pavliuk shared with us after receiving the donation:

“Thank you so so much! I received everything! And unpacked today! It somehow raised my mood, because today I discovered that a colleague of mine from Vinnytsia died because of a missile attack that happened a couple of weeks ago… He had burn injuries on more than 40% of skin and didn’t survive. He was my age, he had a family, and he also built plans for how to improve pediatric neurology care in Ukraine. And now he is dead because of a rocket, which attacked him while he was at work… I am destroyed… Please take care, and thank you for everything you are doing for us! Big hugs!”

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If you have any offers or questions about large in-kind medical donations for Ukrainian hospitals please write to hospitals@razomforukraine.org

Newsletter #24: Two Deep Dives into Razom’s Work And Other Major Updates

Published: August 11, 2022   

Today, get a behind the scenes look at Razom operations through two major articles spotlighting our work.  First, as a nonprofit operating in the U.S. and Ukraine, and second, as a volunteer powerhouse that’s shipped over 85,000 IFAKs to Ukraine.  You’ll also get important updates on our events and fundraisers.  In all the different ways you take part in this community, we are grateful! 

Dear Razom Community,

Last week Razom got an exclusive feature in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the most prominent publication on philanthropy in the US, titled “How One Tiny, All-Volunteer Nonprofit Raised $57 Million for Ukraine”.  We are grateful to hear the story of our work from the outside and shine a light on some of the amazing people who are doing this work.  If you’d like to get a peek behind the scenes of Razom’s operations and Emergency Response work, we recommend you give it a read.  Here’s a quote from the piece: 

“Having more than 130,000 people turn to you and give you more than $50 million to work with to try to help people is not an easy thing to come to terms with,” says Maryna Prykhodko, who is in charge of social media and advocacy. At 27, she is the group’s youngest board member. “Some people would be paralyzed or debilitated with this huge weight on their shoulders. Every day you have to get yourself ready for the task at hand.”

Thank you for your continued support and trust in us so that we can continue do the work.  The work to save lives in Ukraine right now, and build a more prosperous Ukraine for the future. 

Now onto some updates. 

Week over week, the hospitals team coordinates in-kind donations from international organizations and local hospitals to ship and distribute medical equipment and medicines to hospitals in need in Ukraine.  Below, what we were able to accomplish last week:

  • We shipped 30 jars of Weaver Conductive Ten20 Paste and 4 boxes of Topiramate (an anticonvulsant medication), generously donated by MD Soma Segupta from University of Cincinnati, to MD Mariia Pavliuk, a Pediatric Neurologist/ Neurophysiologist in the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery at St. Nicholas Hospital in Lviv.  Conductive Ten20 Paste will be used to conduct EEG tests and detect possible seizure activities in the pediatric patients at St Nicholas Hospital in Lviv.  Here’s what Dr. Mariia Pavliuk wrote back to us after receiving the package:

Thank you so so much!
I received everything! And unpacked today!
It somehow raised my mood, because today I discovered that a colleague of mine from Vinnytsia died because of missile attack that was couple weeks ago… he had burn injuries of more than 40% of skin and didn’t survive.  He was my age, he had a family and he also built a plans how to improve pediatric neurology care in Ukraine.  And now he is dead because of rocket which attacked him while he was at work…
I am destroyed…
Please take care, and thank you for everything you are doing for us!
Big hugs!

  • Americares continues to support Ukrainian Civilian Hospitals with another generous donation of medication.  Our trusted parter on the ground Zdorovi is in the process of distributing the medications to hospitals in need.
  • We are still in the process of distributing the Medela WoundVacs (and its necessary parts) to hospitals in need across Ukraine.
  • New generous donor Dukal, a medical equipment manufacturer, donated an entire 40ft container of gauze and sponges which is now en route via sea to Ukrainian Hospitals.  These much needed medical supplies will be used in ORs across Ukraine during surgeries. 

Razom has shipped over 85,000 IFAKs to Ukraine, and our team of warehouse volunteers in the US packs on average 6,000-8,000 IFAKs per week.  Ever wondered what it takes to reach that kind of scale, and more importantly, who shows up to volunteer their time to do the work well and why?  We recently published a beautiful piece about it on our website, spotlighting nine out of the 400 amazing people who do this work — a marketer, an IT pro, multiple husband-wife duos, a retired US veteran, a project manager, a teacher, and a doctor.  Read their amazing stories here. 

Behind the Scenes With Razom:
The Volunteers Packing Thousands of First Aid Kits for Ukraine

Please join us in Washington, D.C. for a Ukraine Action Summit!  We invite individuals organizations — not just Ukrainian groups, either! — who are invested in advocating for Ukraine to Washington from September 18-21.
The Action Summit is co-sponsored by Razom for Ukraine, the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, United Help Ukraine, U.S.-Ukrainian Activists, the Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC), Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA), Ukrainian Catholic University Foundation, Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America, MedGlobal, the Syria Faith Initiative, the American Coalition for Syria, the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan, and Florida For Ukraine. Organizations interested in co-sponsoring should reach out to summit@americancoalitionforukraine.org
This Action Summit will be an opportunity for organizations and advocates all over the U.S. to coalesce in Washington, D.C. and exchange best advocacy practices to continue educating our elected representatives about why the U.S. must continue helping Ukraine prevail.
Your voice is critical both to our joint advocacy efforts, as well as to ensuring that members of Congress understand how important it is to help Ukrainians prevail against this ruthless invasion.  Please be sure to register here by August 30, 2022.

REGISTER HERE

This Saturday, August 13th at 3:30pm join us at Times Square for a protest to demand actions from the international community in order to release Ukrainian prisoners of war. 
Various international organizations have taken responsibility for the safety of captured Ukrainian soldiers, but all we see is the horrific killing of Ukrainian POWs as a result of a treacherous terrorist act by russia in Olenivka.
Join us and speak out against censorship in social networks and inaction on the part of international organizations.  We will not let the world forget about Ukrainians who defend the liberty and values ​​of the entire free world.
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Цієї суботи, 13 серпня, о 15:30, Таймс-Сквер приєднуйтесь до нашого протесту та вимагайте дій щодо звільнення українських військовополонених.
Різні міжнародні організації взяли на себе відповідальність за безпеку наших полонених солдатів, але ми бачимо лише жахливі вбивства українських військовополонених внаслідок віроломного терористичного акту Росії в Оленівці.
Приєднуйтесь щоб висловитися проти цензури в соціальних мережах, брехні та бездіяльності міжнародних організацій.  Ми не дамо світу забути про українських воїнів, які захищають свободу та цінності всього вільного світу.

There are a lot of amazing folks around the globe organizing events and fundraisers in fun and interesting ways, and this week we want to spotlight the Door County Candle Company, a small Ukrainian, family-owned, Wisconsin business that has donated over $700,000 to Razom through its Ukraine candle sales since the invasion.  It’s doubling down its “Light to Unite” donation efforts to meet a $1M donation goal on or before Ukraine’s national Independence Day on August 24.  

From now until 8/24, the company will be donating $5 from every online sale of its traditional yellow Lemongrass and blue Lakeshore 16 oz. candles– the official colors of Ukraine, and will continue to donate 100% of profits from its Ukraine candle.  

This little but mighty shop has made tremendous impact on Razom thanks to the commitment and creativity of its young Ukrainian-American owner, Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani and her surrounding community, to fulfill record breaking amounts of orders.   

Online: a round-up of incredible Ukrainian art for a cause!

  • Black and White Project Space is sponsoring Buy an Icon – Save a Life in Ukraine art auction featuring the work of Ukrainian artists Sonia Atlantova and Olexander Klimenjko titled Icons on Ammunition Boxes.  Since 2015, they have painted on wooden fragments from military ammunition boxes left by russian soldiers on the battle fields in Eastern Ukraine, found by Ukrainian deminers and rescued by medical volunteers from the Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH).  100% of sale proceeds will go to PFVMH (ПДМШ), a Razom grantee partner.  You can learn more about their amazing work here.    
  • Awethentic Gallery has curated an Art for Ukraine collection featuring paintings and prints from a variety of renowned Ukrainian artists.  Some of their works focus on the recent Russian invasion while others focus on the beauty of Ukraine.  In the collection, 20-100% of the net proceeds will go to Razom and the World Central Kitchen.  
  • The Art Auction for Ukraine showcase will continue to run until Sunday, August 14th providing access to the work of Ukrainian artist, both local and living in Ukraine right now while fundraising for Razom and Nova Ukraine.

In New York:

  • On August 13th and 14th at 7:30PM, the Irondale Ensemble Project in Brooklyn will bring “Mom on Skype” to New York City audiences.  In a bomb shelter in Lviv, Ukraine, a young soldier on duty, rehearses a play that he has directed about the separation and disconnection of children and parents.  His cast is comprised of 9 children between the ages of 10 and 14 including his own daughter.  Children who, overnight, have had to deal with the realities of missiles directed at them, bombs falling around them, and the fear that at any moment a family member or they themselves might die.  Come see these incredible kids and support their trip to the US!
  • On Saturday, September 24th, 6AM-6PM, New York Cycle Club’s 28th Annual Escape New York Ride (ENY’22) will have an opportunity to fundraise for Razom.  Use Code RAZOM2022 to save $20 on registration and donate $22 of the registration fee to Razom.  Riders who raise $500 or more will win a free jersey! For further details, visit enynycc.org/causes.

In Illinois:

  • Join Chicago from August 10th-12th to break the Guinness World Record for the largest cereal box mosaic by building a Ukrainian flag at the iconic Grand Banking Hall of Wintrust Financial.  Your donations to the Chicago Children United for Ukraine Cereal Box Mosaic Project, coupled with Kellog’s donation of 5,000 boxes of cereal, will allow us to raise money for Razom’s work and that of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. 

In New Hampshire:

  • On Sunday, August 14th, 3-9PM, Bradford, NH is hosting a Stand With Ukraine Fundraiser at the Bradford Center Meetinghouse with all proceeds going to Razom.  Join us for an afternoon of Ukrainian food and song, a local silent art auction, and music.  Bring your picnic blankets and your own bowl, cup and cutlery to refuse waste. 

In Minnesota: 

In the UK: 

  • On Wednesday, September 7th, 7-9PM the Young Professionals of the Danish-UK Association welcome Londoners to come and enjoy their end of summer concert at Box-Park Wembley.  All proceeds from the evening will benefit Razom. 

Thank you so much for reading this newsletter, for keeping up to date with Razom, and for your support of Ukraine.  We’re so glad you’re with us.

Stay razom.