Our New York-based SmartFlyer colleague Rachel Braylovsky is raising funds to help send medical supplies and other things to her family and friends in Ukraine. Rachel has raised $2500 so far and helped send the first shipment to Ukraine on March 5th. We've put this together to call on our incredible global community to help spread the word and create awareness of Rachel's admirable efforts.

A little bit from Rachel:

This past January 2022 was my father’s first time visiting Ukraine in over 40 years since his immigration to the United States from what was then the USSR. He traveled there with his girlfriend, Tatyana, to two cities, Lviv, where my father was from, and Ternopil, where Tatyana is from and her family and friends currently live. He said to me “Rachelka, you cannot believe how beautiful my city is, it is more beautiful than Vienna. I can’t wait for you to see it one day.” My father returned on January 8th, Tatyana returned on February 12th.

It’s sad to think my family and countless others have lived under the reign of Russian communist leaders and now, a dictator has emerged to conquer what he thinks he’s been owed in reclaiming Ukraine. My entire family comes from Eastern Europe and although I speak Russian and introduce myself as a Russian, in fact, I am a descendent of Jewish people who were forced to leave their homelands and ended up in Ukraine. Through a few exchanges of government and power between Monarchy and Communism, my Jewish ancestors who lived in Ukraine were segregated from their neighbors and forced to learn the Russian language, the language of those who ‘saved our people’ during World War II. For this reason, I am neither a Ukrainian nor a Russian. My roots are Ukrainian Jewish, my language is Russian and my nationality is American. Above all, I am grateful to be a part of any loving community and that includes my entire Slavic and Jewish heritage.

Since February 12th, just under two weeks and one morning pass as we wake up to hear the news of President Putin’s invasion into Ukraine and declaration of war. It goes without saying that I am thankful my family has returned in time. Unfortunately, Tatyana and her son Vitaliy, who are here in the US in Chicago and New Jersey, are suffering to know they cannot be with their loved ones.

Last week we put together a shipment of antibiotics and medical supplies that were sent out this Saturday, March 5th. A coordinated effort by Tatyana and her friends, who have arranged for transportation in Poland and Ukraine to collect and deliver the cargo. This week we are being asked for more medicine and even more supplies for safety and warmth. These are civilians that are arming up and protecting their families and neighbors and they write to her every day asking for cash, thermal clothing, bulletproof vests, sleeping bags for warmth, army clothes to be disguised and so much more.

I asked Tatyana to send me some details about what is going on there, who the money is going to, and for what. Below quotes have been translated from Russian to English.

Tanya, please tell me about yourself and the situation right now in Ukraine.

Hello, my name is Tatyana Kuliy. I have lived in the USA for a long time but I was born and raised in Ukraine where unfortunately now there is a war. Russian President Putin has long encroached on the lands of our independent state and on February 24 at 5 o'clock in the morning, when the entire civilian population was asleep, he began to bomb the residential areas of Ukrainian cities. To date, Russian barbarians of the 21st century (I can only call them that) have destroyed 202 schools, 34 hospitals, more than 1,500 residential buildings, killing civilians and children. During the ten days of the war, almost 40 children died! Ukrainian soldiers courageously defend their people. Now, at this difficult time for Ukraine, we have to provide aid. Please help the Ukrainian army, which today is in dire need of military clothing, thermal underwear, sleeping bags, binoculars, berets, collimators, thermal imagers, radios, helmets, body armor.

Who are you sending this aid to?

The Oleksiy Kristina and Taras family from Ternopil in Western Ukraine, Kilishtof family Natalia, Ivan and Bozena, Priest Eugene Flysta (military chaplain), Yulia Tyndyk and Yuri, volunteers, Dovbush Natalia-volunteer, Oleg Zinchuk - volunteer, Rivne. Every day these people receive refugees from other regions of Ukraine in their cities, who, as a result of the bombing, were left homeless. People come hungry, tired, scared. Volunteers have equipped heating points for them, where people can eat and spend the night. Every dollar received will directly go purchasing supplies to go to my good friend Zhuk Valentina (Ternopil), whom I visited this year for Christmas and whom I have known for more than 30 years. She, together with priest chaplain Yevgeny Flysta organize help for people. Also, I could send to my friends Bagry Natalia and Sergey from Lviv, who are volunteers, to relatives Kilishtov Natalia and Ivan from Ivano-Frankivsk.

Sincerely, Tatyana Kuliy.

Translated from:

Здравстуйте, меня зовут Татьяна Кулий. Я давно живу в США, но родилась и выросла в Украине. Где к глубокому сожалению сейчас идет война. Президент РФ Путин давно посягал на земли нашего независимого государства. И вот 24 февраля в 5 часов утра, когда всё мирное население спало, начал бомбить по жилых кварталах украинских городов. На сегодняшний день русские варвары 21 века( я их могу только так назвать) уничтожили 202 школы, 34 больницы, больше 1500 жилых домов. Убивают мирных жителей и детей. За десять дней войны погибло почти 40 детишек! Украинские воины мужественно защищают свой народ.

Сейчас, в это трудное время для Украины, обращаюсь к вам с величайшей просьбой! Пожалуйста, помогите украинской армии, которая на сегодняшний день катастрофически нуждается в : военной одежде, термобелье, спальниках, биноклях, берцах, каллиматорах,тепловизорах,база-рациях, касках, бронежилетах.

Заранее большое спасибо от меня и от моих родственников, друзей, знакомых, которые сейчас в таком трудном положении

Они все присоединились к борьбе с захватчиками, а именно:семья Олексий Кристина и Тарас из г. Тернополь (Западная Украина), семья Багрий Наталия и Сергей из г. Львов, семья Килиштоф Наталия, Иван и Божена, из г. Ивано-Франковск, Жук Валентина из г. Тернополь, священник Евгений Флыста( капеллан военный), Тындык Юлия и Юрий-волонтёры Довбуш Наталия-волонтёр, , Олег Зинчук -волонтер, г.Ровно. Эти люди каждый день принимают у себя в городах беженцев из других регионов Украины, которые в результате бомбардировки, остались без крова над головой. Люди приезжают голодные, усталые, испуганы. Волонтеры оборудовали для них пункты обогрева, где люди могут покушать и переночевать.

Если вы нам предоставите такую помощь, то я смогла бы выслать ее своей хорошей подруге Жук Валентине(г.Тернополь)у которой гостевала в этом году на Рождество и которую знаю более 30-ти лет. Она вместе со священником капелланом Евгением Флыстой занимается организацией помощи людям. А также могла бы выслать своим друзьям Багрий Наталии и Сергею из г. Львов, они волонтёры, родственникам Килиштовым Наталии и Ивану из Ивано-Франковска.

С уважением Татьяна Кулий.