Minnesotans rally to help Ukrainians as war rages on

Andrii Purtov celebrated Ukrainian Independence Day outside his homeland for the first time on Wednesday, taking photos with his wife and son in front of his country's large light-blue and yellow flag.

One of the first Ukrainian refugees to arrive in Minnesota in May, Purtov said he was heartened to see hundreds of people — many wearing blue and yellow — turn out to celebrate at Minneapolis' Boom Island Park. But amid the dancing and music, he said he was deeply worried for his home country.

"There's war in Ukraine," he said. "People are dying."

Ukrainians in Minnesota celebrated their ravaged home country's Independence Day on Wednesday by ladling out borshch — a beet and vegetable soup dubbed a UNESCO heritage tradition — but also to raise money for the war effort.

Proceeds from the Ukrainian Community Center event will go toward purchasing 10 medical evacuation vehicles to help stabilize and rush those wounded on the front lines to hospitals.

Since the start of the war six months ago, the Ukrainian community has bought 10 such vehicles, said Taras Pidhayny, treasurer for St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church in northeast Minneapolis. Beneficiaries of the fundraiser also include members of the Ukrainian rock band Antytila, who are serving in the military.

"Ukrainians will never give up on their country," Purtov said. "We are always fighting for the ultimate end goal of a free and independent Ukraine."

Tammy Smith, of River Falls, Wis., said she felt the urge to help when she saw the devastation of the war. She signed up to sponsor a family and was matched with Purtov and his family, who arrived in the United States in May.

"I think it's horrible what's happening in Ukraine," Smith said. "I became a host because I thought, 'What if it happened here?' I would hope somebody would help us."

As the war rages on in Ukraine against Russian forces, Minnesotans have rallied to help, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy things like medical supplies for those on the front lines and evacuation vehicles, Pidhayny said.

The Ukrainian community is working toward filling a second cargo container of medical supplies and aid to ship to those in need. In smaller trips to Ukraine, volunteers have been taking bags filled with bandages, antibiotic ointments, power banks charged by solar energy, backpacks and straws that filter water.

The Minneapolis-based international nonprofit Alight is also raising funds and calling for those who are interested in sponsoring Ukrainian refugees to sign up.

Alight, which has humanitarian efforts around the globe, mobilized people, who like Smith, are looking to help those displaced. The group staged an informational event on Wednesday. Sponsorship entails helping families find affordable housing, enroll children into schools and navigate public transportation.

Already, there have been 1,200 requests from Ukrainians to live in Minnesota, according to Annie Nolte-Henning of Alight.

"We know the families that are thriving the most are those that have that neighbor or person who is taking them under their wing and helping them get used to their surroundings," Nolte-Henning said. "We're really asking people to step up and help Ukrainians in that meaningful way in our own backyards."