BUFFALO, N.Y. — Multiple cultural organizations across Erie County are standing together to raise money to support Ukraine.
"It's a very poorly kept secret that I am not full-blooded Italian here, so I have no problem talking about this, but my grandparents actually lived in the Netherlands," said Lindsey Lauren with the Italian Culture Center. "They were living in the Netherlands for six years under Nazi occupation. So, when the war was over they were able to leave, but the only reason they were able to leave is because of the kindness of someone here in America who literally didn't know them."
She said everyone can make a difference.
"When we stand together and carry that legacy of all these hardships that people have endured and we remember and we raise to the occasion with compassion and empathy, and all of those wonderful things that our immigrant families have taught us," she said. "We can make a difference and we can do something and when you lead with those things you create the world that you want to live in and I think that's what we are trying to do here."
With just a few weeks of preparations, Lindsey and her staff are hosting a 'Stand Together Ukraine' event, where there will be more than 20 culture and community organizations across Western New York who are coming together to contribute things, fundraise money, or show their support for the people of Ukraine.
Everyone is bringing their own pieces to the table, like the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens who will be doing a sunflower craft because sunflowers are the flowers of Ukraine. And Chef Camille Le Caër from France, will be doing a food tasting.
Buffalo is one of the more diverse cities in the country and when one group isn't doing too well the other groups help each other out.
"One of the things that I think is so powerful is that when people came to this country and they faced adversity. The people who tended to help them were other immigrants and so, I think, as part of that immigrant community, as part of that legacy," Lauren said. "It's so important for us right now to come together and do something because it's Ukraine's time of need and we know as immigrants what that means and sometimes, we left our homes because we had no choice. And so, trying to do something, trying to do something quickly, so that funding can get into the hands of someone quickly was really important to us."
"Stand Together Ukraine" is on Sunday, March 27. They are doing two time slots because they are trying to bring in as many people as possible. The first is from noon to 2 p.m, the second is 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. You're not missing anything by coming to one or the other, Lauren said they are just trying to make the biggest impact.
Centro Culturale Italiano Di Buffalo is located at 2351 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216.
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