Twin Fork Beer Co. and Organizing the Hamptons are hosting a fundraiser for a Ukrainian charity fund supporting orphanages providing shelter to children and their mothers as the war rages on.
Olha Loza of Calverton, the founder of Organizing the Hamptons and a Ukrainian immigrant, said Ridni is working to help children and other refugees displaced by the conflict. The charity organization, based in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, battles orphanhood in Ukraine by providing consultation for adoptive and foster parents, and counseling, social support and educational assistance for children and adults, according to their website.
“Since the war started [Ridni’s] team of volunteers have been bringing in refugees, new orphans, and they’ve been making sure that the orphanages are well taken care of with all humanitarian needs, supplies, medication, everything that they need,” Loza said in an interview today.
The fundraiser at Twin Fork Beer Co. will be held on Friday, March 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the brewery’s tasting room, located at 807 Raynor Ave in Riverhead. There is a $10 cover at the door that will be donated to Ridni. The tasting room will serve authentic Ukrainian Food and $1 of all craft beer and wine sales will be donated to Ridni, according to a press release. Other donations will also be accepted.
Loza has also made an Amazon wishlist with supplies requested by Ridni. Loza is packaging the items and sending them to Poland, where they are picked up by volunteers and sent across the border to Ukraine.
“I just personally from myself and from our Ukrainian community, I would love to thank you guys and all of our friends here and neighbors who have stepped in and they’ve shown so much just support and kindness and generosity, and we’ve never seen that before,” Loza said. “This is just so amazing, just watching everybody come together and do this and support Ukraine, it’s just so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.”
She said all the Ukrainian food at the event at Twin Fork will be made by members of the local Ukrainian community.
“The big push was we always want to give back to the community,” said Savannah Kurz, general manager at Twin Fork. “The band playing, he plays very often, his wife is Ukrainian, and we just felt very close to the cause. So we really were looking forward to just coming together as a community and raising as much money as possible.”
Correction: This article was amended after publication to clarify that the $10 cover during the fundraiser will be donated to Ridni.
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