Sunflower Collective

COLLECTIVE

chicago

community

evanston

us stands with ukraine

Fiscal Host: Open Collective Foundation

Helping Ukrainian refugees who are escaping the brutal Russian invasion, to settle in the Chicagoland area. Organized by three families from Evanston and Park Ridge. 100% of funds raised go to support sponsored families.

This is Sunflower Collective's page Sunflower Collective

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Financial Contributions

Goal

One Time Supporter

*Tax deductible donation* Provide a one time contribution to help us land families on their feet.

$7,232.85 USD of $10,000 USD raised (72%)

Starts at$25 USD

Latest activity by

+ 40

Goal

Platinum Family Sponsor

*Tax deductible donation* Include your family name or corporate logo on our fundraising pages, Facebook group, and future fundraising events to ev... Read more

$24,704.89 USD of $30,000 USD raised (82%)

Starts at$2,500 USD

Latest activity by

+ 2

Top financial contributors

Individuals

Incognito

$5,145.3 USD since Jul 2022

Ostrovskaya Laffan Family

$5,000 USD since Jul 2022

Aleksey Skryl

$2,500 USD since Jul 2022

Stacy Kelly

$2,500 USD since Jul 2022

John Clare

$1,000 USD since Sep 2022

Steven Margolis

$700 USD since Sep 2022

Brady O’Connell

$500 USD since Aug 2022

Ott Family

$500 USD since Aug 2022

Guest

$500 USD since Sep 2022

Incognito

$300 USD since Jul 2022

Guest

$250 USD since Jul 2022

Leonid Sagalovsky

$250 USD since Jul 2022

Maura Cullen

$250 USD since Jul 2022

Troy H.

$200 USD since Jul 2022

Guest

$200 USD since Jul 2022

Organizations

Benevity

$5,053.53 USD since Aug 2022

Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program

$5,000 USD since Aug 2022

Two Rivers Gallery, Inc.

$2,075 USD since Aug 2022

Girls on the Run

$400 USD since Aug 2022

About

About the Collective

The Sunflower Collective is made up of three families from Evanston and Park Ridge, IL that were distraught by the news of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, and felt helpless to assist efforts a world away. Looking to funnel their anger and disbelief into action, the families banded together with a common goal of directly helping Ukrainian refugees.

We are currently assisting families with resettlement in the Chicagoland area through Uniting for Ukraine, a sponsorship program through the Department of Homeland Security, that was recently announced by the Biden Administration.

The first family that the collective is sponsoring is the Studinskiy family from Kyiv.

The Studinskiys are family friends of Kostya Katz, one of Sunflower Collective founding members and are being directly sponsored by the Collective.

Company Match & Tax Deductions

The Sunflower Collective accepts donations through our fiscal sponsor Open Collective. Open Collective Foundation (OCF) is a 501c3 which means donations made to us are tax deductible. EIN 81-4004928.

When you donate, there is a 4% fee that goes to cover their operating expenses. Again, you may also choose to cover that fee so that 100% of your donation goes to the family.

To have your company match your donation, follow these instructions: https://docs.opencollective.foundation/how-it-works/financial-contributions/donation-matching

Meet our first family, the Studinskiy's

The Studinskiy’s (Andrei, Natasha, Nikita and Timofei) are a humble, hardworking family who never thought they would be facing an impossible choice between living in constant fear in their own home or leaving everything behind and fleeing their homeland. Natasha and her boys are leaving Andrei behind so he can fight for their country. They are stuffing what they can into a suitcase and backpacks, leaving Ukraine for Chicago.

Over the coming weeks, we will be assisting the family with travel. When they arrive, we’ll be focused on finding them an apartment, furnishing it, and helping the family with groceries, clothing, and helping get the boys into schools. As soon as we get them on their feet, our focus will turn to helping them with more permanent immigration status and helping Natasha find work to support her boys.

Our team

John Renaldi

Admin

Founding Collective member

Sarah Surisook

Admin

Theresa R

Admin

Kostya Katz

Admin

Connect

Let’s get the ball rolling!

News from Sunflower Collective

Updates on our activities and progress.

September Update

Hello everyone, Apologies for being quiet for the past few weeks, but everyone has been super busy so we fell a bit behind on keeping you up to date on the latest developments... Our first Ukrainian family (Studinskyi Natalia, Tima, and Nik...

Published on October 3, 2022 by Kostya Katz

First two weeks in Chicago

Hello everybody and thank you once again for your amazing donations and for your kind messages for the Studinskyi family. They have now been in Chicago for 2+ weeks and we've been busy trying to get them acquainted with the surroundings, in...

Published on August 5, 2022 by Kostya Katz

On their way to Chicago!

The SAS Airlines strike is finally over, just In time for Natasha and the boys to head to Warsaw earlier this morning to bo...

Published on July 20, 2022 by John Renaldi

Budget

Transparent and open finances.

Monthly Rent and Car Insurance policy for a refugee family

from Kostya Katz to Sunflower Collective • February 28, 2023

-$2,530.49 USD

Paid

Reimbursement #125476

Financial contribution to Sunflower Collective (One Time ...

Credit from Rebecca Porterfield to Sunflower Collective • February 23, 2023

+$100.00USD

Completed

Contribution #628460

Financial contribution to Sunflower Collective (One Time ...

Credit from Melissa Kostecki to Sunflower Collective • February 22, 2023

+$50.00USD

Completed

Contribution #628206

Today’s balance

$4,569.52 USD

Total raised

$32,332.97 USD

Total disbursed

$27,763.45 USD

Estimated annual budget

$34,466.27 USD