A local coffee house is serving up support two causes close to its heart in Ukraine.
“If you’re like us you’ve felt helpless this week watching the news,” Ratio Coffee & Pastry co-owner Andrew McWilliam said. “We wanted to help somehow and donuts is what we do best!”
The downtown shop is mixing things up for donut Friday and attempting to make some traditional Ukrainian donuts, pampushky. The filled donuts are covered in icing or cinnamon sugar and with traditional fillings like rose and dates, along with some other varieties with a Ukrainian twist.
Ratio will be donating $2 from every donut sale to two connections it has in Ukraine, and two other local businesses have stepped up to match the donations.
“So now every $2 becomes $6,” said McWilliam of the support from the Vernon Court Reporters and an anonymous business. “This will go a long way on the ground in Ukraine.”
The money will go directly to two connections Ratio has with Ukraine of people working tirelessly to help others in need.
The first is the Rays of Love orphanage in Krivoy Rog.
Run by Adam and Luba Nikkel (Adam is a former Salmon Arm resident), many in the orphanage have been able to evacuate to Moldova, but many men have had to stay behind.
“They need funds to support those who’ve been forced to stay behind and also to care for anyone who needs housing because of displacement at the orphanage,” said McWilliam, adding that one of the Ratio owners volunteered at the orphanage in 2003.
The second cause being supported is local Pastor Yuri from Kramatorsk.
“He also was able to get his family to safety but had to stay behind. He is spending his time feeding and comforting anyone in need.”
Yuri has been purchasing hundreds of loaves of bread, sunflower oil and other essentials to give to anyone hungry.
“The money we are able to send to him will go directly to feeding people on the ground in Ukraine,” said McWilliam.
Ratio anticipates selling out of donuts but has also set up a donation portal on its website ratiocoffee.ca.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Ukraine flag flies at Vernon city hall
READ MORE: ‘A senseless war’: protestors in Vernon show support for Ukraine amid Russian invasion
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