Communities Coming Together

Networks that connect, support and cross continents

Hello, this is United Ukraine co-founder Nathan with your end-of-week update. Since our last update, we’ve sent out an additional $5,015.78 to families and community organizations in Ukraine.

First, we’d like to express gratitude for something that’s new for us this week. We’re starting to see people organizing their own fundraisers for United Ukraine. The ANH Montessori School in Rogers, Arkansas raised a significant amount of money for us this week and we’re incredibly moved and humbled by this trust.

And they’re not alone. But the next fundraising event requires some context. We’ve talked a lot about Vlad Shast in previous updates. We’ve been working with him since the beginning of the war. He’s a legend of the Kyiv queer underground scene and at the beginning of the war had the opportunity to leave and be supported by his connections in Europe. Instead, he joined the Kyiv Territorial Defense and has been tireless in defense and humanitarian activities whether that has been setting up field hospitals or delivering food.

Vlad and his organization Obiymy (It means “Embrace”)

He’s constantly cheerful, positive, and looking for new ways to help. Right now, he’s working with us to purchase protective vests for Ukrainian Territorial Defense (You can find his fundraiser here.) He is also someone whose story makes clear the stakes for queer people in Russia’s aggressive war. His story was discovered by Palace Parties KC, a Kansas city “environment for LGBTQIA people to be seen, be heard and celebrate ourselves in a world where our existence is radical.” They had planned a fundraiser event for Ukraine, and have made Vlad’s efforts the beneficiary of their fundraising and will be featuring United Ukraine in their event. So if you’re looking for a “United Ukraine”-related party in the Kansas City area, look no further.

And thank you to our own community, Adam and I didn’t imagine we were setting out to set up a non-profit. But because of the constant support we found from people wanting to help Ukraine. You can support us financially:

Via Debit, Credit, or Paypal:  At this link
Via Venmo: @UnitedUkraine (under the business tab)
Our Website: http://www.united-ukraine.org

And we accept checks via mail at:
225 Bright Poppy
Irvine, CA 92618

And you can help us get the word out. Adam and I recently gave a presentation to a social club about the conflict in Ukraine and it’s something we’re happy to continue to do. If you have any connections with organizations or groups, getting this information out is our passion. Send us an email at info@united-ukraine.org.

And, as always, here are some of the families we helped.

Julia and her daughter asked for money to fix windows near Kharkiv that were shattered during the shelling

Mom (right) left Kherson when it came under occupation to meet her daughter (left) in Nikolaev. Then Nikolaev became a front in the war. Now they're both refugees in Romania.

Thank you all so much. There’s so much going on in the news and the world right now and we’re extremely grateful for your attention.