How to Support Ukraine Through Food Charities, Events, and Fundraisers

Celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day by eating borscht, tuning into virtual cooking classes, and making ongoing donations.

Stoli x Sveta Cocktails for Ukraine
Stoli x Sveta Cocktails for Ukraine | Photo courtesy of Stoli Vodka and Sveta
Stoli x Sveta Cocktails for Ukraine | Photo courtesy of Stoli Vodka and Sveta

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to unfold, countries around the world have come up with creative ways to offer support. In the United States, food and drink communities across the nation are hosting virtual cooking classes, organizing special pop-ups, and donating proceeds to humanitarian charities.

From borscht to specialty IPAs, here are all the ways you can get involved, just in time for Ukrainian Independence Day.

Fundraising Events

Virtual Cooking Class With Anna Voloshyna
August 21, 1-3pm ET
Online
Anna Voloshyna, author of the upcoming Budmo! Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen, will be offering a sneak peak of her book before its official release in September and sharing four recipes for a Ukrainian summer lunch at this virtual cooking class, created in collaboration with Six Dutchess Farm. This event is in partnership with the Waka Foundation, who will match every ticket purchased and donate the equivalent to City of Goodness, a charity of Voloshyna's choosing that helps the most vulnerable mothers and their children in Ukraine.

Stoli x Sveta Cocktails for Ukraine
Through August 24
New York, New York
Stoli Vodka selected New York City’s Sveta restaurant, owned by Ukrainian immigrant Sveta Savchitz and her son Alan, for a pop-up to support their pledge of raising $1,000,000 for World Central Kitchen. In addition to a special menu of Stoli cocktails, the Ukrainian-themed, immersive pop-up will feature a replica of Klaven’s Tunnel of Love, walls of sunflowers (the national flower of Ukraine), and a video testimonial booth, where guests will be able to record messages of hope and mail them via a physical mailbox to those in Ukraine.

Red Letter Hospitality Fundraising Dinners
August 8-14
Erie, Pennsylvania
Three ​​Red Letter Hospitality restaurants will each dedicate a day to Ukrainian menus, featuring performances by Ukranian artists and musicians: The Skunk and Goat Tavern (August 9th) Molly Brannigan's (August 10th), and The Cork 1794 (August 11). Five percent of all sales will go towards ongoing Ukrainian relief in cooperation with First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church.

Ongoing Organizational Efforts

World Central Kitchen
This nonprofit organization, founded by chef José Andrés, works to provide food in the wake of humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Andrés has been on the ground in Ukraine and Romania with WCK to feed refugees. So far, one million meals have been served to families across Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Moldova, and Hungary. Donate to support their efforts here.

Cook for Ukraine
Founded by a group of friends—Ukrainian chef and food writer Olia Hercules, Russian cookbook author Dr. Alissa Timoskina, and Polish cookbook author Zuza Zak—the #CookForUkraine movement aims to increase awareness of the crisis in Ukraine as well as raise funds for UNICEF UK’s Ukraine appeal. You can join the movement by hosting your own #CookForUkraine supper club or bake sale, donating directly to this Just Giving page, or simply sharing your recipes on social media with the #CookForUkraine hashtag.

Hamantashen for Ukraine
This movement, which began as a celebration of Purim, called on bakers to sell hamantaschen at their cafes, donating proceeds directly to the Polish Humanitarian Action. Even though the holiday is over, bakers are encouraged to continue Jewish food-related fundraisers. You can find a list of participating bakeries here, but if you happen to be a baker yourself, you can join in on this show of solidarity by selling to friends and family.

Bake For Ukraine
In 2020, Paola Velez, Willa Pelini, and Robert Rudda founded Bakers Against Racism, an international bake sale that has raised over $2.5 million for social justice causes worldwide. In response to the events in Ukraine, the organization launched an Emergency Bake Sale, calling on bakers to fundraise for those who are providing food, shelter, transportation, and medical services in Ukraine. The movement is ongoing, and you can launch your sale with the hashtags #bakersagainstracism and #bakeforukraine.

Businesses Donating Proceeds

Angels & Cowboys Wine
Through the “Pulling Corks & Filling Forks” program, the Sonoma County wine brand will donate a portion of proceeds to World Central Kitchen. The wine is available direct from the winery or at Wine.com and is nationally distributed at select retailers, including Whole Foods.

Restaurants, Bars, and Bakeries Donating Proceeds

Veselka
New York, New York
The legendary Ukrainian eatery is donating 100% of proceeds from its borscht sales to Razom for Ukraine, a NYC-based nonprofit organization supporting the people of Ukraine in its pursuit of a democratic society with dignity, justice, and human and civil rights. The restaurant is also accepting non-monetary donations at its East 9th Street entrance, including everything from first-aid kits to sleeping bags.

See more ways to support Ukraine in New York City.

Urban South Brewery
Houston, Texas & New Orleans, Louisiana
Urban South Brewery has launched a new beer, the Double Spilled: Slava Ukraini, to raise funds for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. This tropical beer will be available at Urban South’s New Orleans and Houston taprooms, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the International Rescue Committee.

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Jessica Sulima is a staff writer on the Food & Drink team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram