Care and World Central Kitchen Receive Funds from our #STANDWITHUKR Fundraiser

Thanks to the success of our #STANDWITHUKR Fundraiser, co-hosted by Yulia Liaman, Whitney Blake and Senzela Atmar, held at Loser’s Bar and Grill in March of 2022, Relief Without Borders is proud to announce that the donation sum of $22,685 has been directly donated to two renowned organizations, World Central Kitchen (WCK) and CARE. These organizations have been providing immediate aid to displaced Ukrainians around the clock since the initial Russian invasion. 

World Central Kitchen has been crucial to feeding millions of vulnerable refugees in crisis conditions all over Ukraine and neighboring countries. At the first signs of attack, WCK began doing what they do best; serving hot and nutritious meals to those in need. Hundreds of thousands of nourishing dishes are distributed daily as well as 12 million pounds of food across 3,000 distribution centers. Working 24 hours a day, WCK has posts at eight border crossings in addition to Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, and Germany. In Kharkiv, the WCK team delivers meals to bomb shelters, hospitals, seniors, and civilians trapped on the front lines while feeding 75 refugee shelters in Lviv that house over 200,000 evacuees. WCK works in local restaurants to support meal preparation for those who remain in cities including Odessa, Kyiv, and Lviv. Also in Kyiv, grocery kits are assembled and sent to previously war torn and occupied areas left without access to food. As the situation evolves, WCK plans to expand their reach to families in the only way they know how; with a freshly prepared plate of food. 

CARE has dedicated themselves to relieving the most at-risk populations as the humanitarian situation continues to surpass the worst expectations. Women are particularly vulnerable during conflict due to an increase in exploitation, abuse, and violence. CARE’s response has included the establishment of regional partnerships with local nonprofits to prioritize the needs of women, children, and the elderly in Poland, Romania, and Slovenia in addition to Ukraine. Providing food and water supplies, hygiene kits, cash assistance, mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, and psychosocial support, CARE works alongside Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM), SERA, the Federation of Child Protection NGOs (FONPC), Red Cross, Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services (CFSSS), International Renaissance Foundation (IRF), People in Need (PIN) and Ukrainian House. CARE’s support of women’s rights groups funds and organizes programs to aid and protect marginalized people who are recovering from traumatic experiences. 

Their most recent efforts employ Ukrainian refugees, most of which are women, who have crossed the border into Poland as teachers in the Polish school system. This is a simple solution to a complex problem; by hiring displaced Ukrainian teachers, they are enabling financial stability for them and their families while simultaneously addressing the overwhelming number of displaced Ukrainian children whose education has been disrupted. 700,000 children from Ukraine have crossed into Poland alone, and with the help of CARE, they are able to continue their education in their own language and return to some degree of normalcy. 

Relief Without Borders cannot think of better organizations to execute the funds that were raised from the Ukraine Benefit Event in Nashville. Helping those on the ground in Ukraine remains the most urgent necessity at hand. Follow @careorg and @wckitchen to stay up to date on their latest initiatives and for more ways you can make an impact. 

Ava Katz for Relief Without Borders