Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced a community fundraiser and donation drive to support Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country on Thursday at the state Capitol.
The initiative called “Driven To Assist” seeks to raise monetary donations and essential items to Ukrainian families in need.
“This donation drive of cash and goods will make a life-saving difference to those Ukrainians forced to leave their homes,” Cox said. “Utahns are drawn to help those in need and I encourage those who can to give and support this effort.”
Utah philanthropist Gail Miller said her foundation, along with myriad other private donors like the Huntsman Family Foundation and Zions Bank, have donated about $2 million to the Utah Community Foundation. That organization will oversee the distribution of the funds to accredited and approved organizations in Ukraine and surrounding countries. Intermountain Healthcare will also participate in the effort by helping to airlift donated goods to Poland.
Miller asked Utahns to match the $2 million that has already been raised and said any donation amount is appreciated.
Financial donations can be made to the Utah Community Foundation through The Larry H. Miller Company’s website.
Donated goods — including new children’s coats, shoes, hats, and gloves (with tags), diapers, feminine hygiene products and laundry detergent — can be dropped off at Smith’s Ballpark’s front lobby; Larry H. Miller Megaplex locations in Sandy, Lehi and Centerville; and The Hub Information Center & Cafe at Daybreak in South Jordan.
Nearly 1 million people have fled Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, tweeted on Wednesday. Ukraine officials ordered men between the ages of 18-60 to stay and defend the country.
“We have all seen the detailed reports and read news stories about the suffering taking place in Ukraine and we’ve watched the news reports about many of the citizens who have to evacuate to safer places,” the former Utah Jazz owner said. “My family and I along with the generous donors who have already given are confident that Utahns will unite and give generously, as they always do to save lives and support freedom in Ukraine.”
Miller added that the donations would help organizations procure essential items, methods of transportation, lodging and medical care for Ukrainian refugees.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Maxim Morozoff at a news conference with local business owners announcing an effort to raise donations for the people of Ukraine, at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 3, 2022.
About 1,500 Ukrainians live in Utah. Maxim Morozoff, a Ukrainian-borne Utah business owner of Bon Bon Ice Cream and Gelato Company, pleaded with Utahns to provide aid and support to his native country.
“My people in Ukraine are suffering right now and desperately need our help,” Morozoff said. “Their houses are being bombed and destroyed. They are not sure if they will be alive tomorrow. There are hundreds of thousands [of] refugees on the border right now, mostly women and children. They’re cold and hungry and worried about their fathers, brothers, husbands that are left behind fighting.”
“We are immensely grateful to the United States and American people for the support they [are] providing to Ukraine, but my fighting and bleeding country needs more,” said Morozoff, who moved to the U.S in 1994.
Cox said the state would be willing to relocate Ukrainian refugees if the opportunity arises.
Last year, Utah welcomed its largest refugee resettlement in state history, when nearly a thousand Afghans moved to Utah after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
“We are in the very early stages of those conversations. We’ve talked with our federal delegation. We’ll be talking with the (President Joe Biden) administration as those opportunities come up. What I’ve told people is just plan on it, because that’s what we do in Utah,” Cox said. “We have now 900 Afghan residents who are here in our state ... and I suspect that we will do the exact same thing when it comes to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.”
Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Brad Wilson also attended the announcement.
The Biden administration announced Thursday that it would grant Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS, to Ukrainians in the U.S. because of the ongoing conflict and because Ukrainians are unable to return home safely.
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