Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership

THE MISSION OF THE CINCINNATI KHARKIV SISTER CITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IS TO ESTABLISH GOODWILL, UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI AND THE PEOPLE OF KHARKIV AND THEREBY DEVELOP LASTING FRIENDSHIPS AND INCREASED INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS, GOODS AND SERVICES

THE 72 HOUR MISSION TO UKRAINE: CINCINNATI IS THE HOME OF PROCTER & GAMBLE. WITH PLANTS IN UKRAINE, P&G IMMEDIATELY FELT THE IMPACT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION. WITH THE DESIRE TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE, THE P&G ALUMNI LEADERSHIP REACHED OUT TO CKSCP TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBIILTY OF COLLABORATION IN COLLECTING AND TRANSFERRING FUNDS TO ORGANIZATIONS IN UKRAINE TO UNDERWRITE THE PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICINE, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND GENERATORS TO ENABLE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO CONTINUE OPERATION. CKSCP ACTED AS THE FISCAL AGENT COLLECTING FUNDS FROM P&G ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF PROCTER & GAMBLE. THOSE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE MISSION TO UKRAINE FOR THE PURCHASE OF PHARMACEUTICALS, FOOD AND CLOTHING. THE SMALL TOWNS SURROUNDING KHARKIV OF MEREFA, SOLONITSEVKA AND CHUGUEV RECEIVED FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF GENERATORS.

HUMANITARIAN AID TO UKRAINE (KHARKIV RED CROSS)WHEN THE WAR STARTED ON FEBRUARY 24, 2022, THE PROGNOSIS WAS FAR FROM CERTAIN. WOULD THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES MOUNT ANY CREDIBLE DEFENSE. WOULD THE WAR BE OVER IN A MATTER OF DAYS WITH THE SURRENDER OF KIEV. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO KHARKIV AND THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM CKSCP HAD COLLABORATED AND WORKED WITH OVER THE PAST 32 YEARS. HOW COULD WE HELP ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING THE CIVILIAN POPULATION WAS ENDURING.ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT UKRAINE WAS MOUNTING A SOLID DEFENSE, THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT SURRENDER, AND THAT KHARKIV WOULD NOT BE OCCUPIED, CKSCP BEGAN THE TASK OF IDENTIFYING WAYS TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO A TRUSED SOURCE. THE KHARKIV RED CROSS BECAME OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND, AND A FUND DRIVE WAS INITIATED TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID TO OUR SISTER CITY.

PIEROGIES 4 PEACESUSIE DEYOUNG, ONE OF THE LEADING CHEFS IN CINCINNATI, WAS MOVED BY THE PLIGHT OF MILLIONS OF UKRAINIANS FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF THE RUSSIAN ATTACK ON NON-MILITARY TARGETS. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WERE HOMELESS AND HUNGRY. SUSIE DEYOUNG ORGANIZED THE CULINARY COMMUNITY IN CINCINNATI TO SUPPORT THE PIEROGIES 4 PEACE FUNDRAISING EVENT. EACH CHEF WOULD CREATE A FILLING FOR A PIEROGI CONSISTENT WITH HIS/HER RESTAURANTS MENU. THE PIEROGIES WOULD BE SOLD AND PROFITS DISTRIBUTED TO WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN TO FEED UKRAINIAN REFUGEES NOT ONLY IN UKRAINE BUT THROUGHOUT EUROPE. SUSIE DEYOUNG ASKED CKSCP TO SERVE AS THE FISCAL AGENT.