SPOKANE, Wash. — Local businesses across Spokane and Coeur d'Alene are showing their support for Ukrainian humanitarian needs by raising money and collecting medical items.
If you are looking for a place to eat or a place to grab some coffee while supporting the community, here is a list of local business raising money for Ukraine.
Cedar Coffee, a Ukrainian-owned coffee shop, will be donating all its sales on Saturday, March 5 to provide relief for Ukraine. The coffee spot is located at 701 N Monroe St. in Spokane.
As reported by Inlander, Cedar Coffee owner Igor Anisimov decided to use his position as a small business owner to do what he could to help hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens seeking refuge from Russia's attacks.
People can stop by the shop on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and order their favorite coffee drink, tea, or lemonade while supporting a good cause.
All the sales will go to the Ukrainian government to aid those who've been displaced by the war.
In addition to coffee, people cal also buy a mini flower arrangement at Cedar Coffee on Saturday from Creative Gifts Iva from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All proceeds are going toward supporting Ukraine.
During this week through the end of March, local gym MUV Fitness teamed with the charity, Ukrainian Red Cross, to create a fund to help devastated families in Ukraine.
During the month of March, any member or non-member, as well as businesses, can stop by any of the four gyms, which are located in the Spokane and Spokane Valley areas, to donate to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
MUV Fitness will also be donating a small percentage of the money when new members join the gym during March. Another percentage will be donating when new members sign up.
MUV Fitness owners Chip Schwerzel and Jeff Carlson said donations will go toward the devastated families of Ukraine to help protect their freedoms.
"Every day, we watch the news and see the pain of families being separated while their young men go to war against trained Russian military to protect their homes, cities and country," Schwerzel said. "It's just not right and they are suffering greatly, so we wanted to do something about it."
The roller rink will be donating all proceeds collected from its night roller rink on Thursday, March 3 and Thursday, March 10 to Ukraine.
The adult-only fundraiser skate is called "Skate for Ukraine" and it will apply to guests 18-years-old and older.
Roller Valley will also be collecting medical items to send out to Ukraine. People can bring any of the following items in exchange for free rentals from March 2-8:
- Cotton bandages, gauze bandages, dressing bandages
- Cotton and hydrogen peroxide
- Brilliant green
- Activated carbon tablets
- Paracetamol, Aspirin, Analgin, and Pasmalgon
- All sizes band-aids and Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
- Tourniquets
- Ibuprofen, sedatives and painkillers
- Lodine and Fucorcin
- Items for personal hygiene such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shaving cream, etc.
- Paper towels, tissue, gloves and mittens
According to a Facebook post by the Roller Valley, a truck with the item donations will be leaving Spokane on Wednesday to go to Seattle.
Malvagio's Restaurant in Coeur d'Alene is raising money for Ukrainian humanitarian needs and its people.
Every purchase of a $10 cup of Ukrainian Soup Borscht as well as 10% of any order from Tuesday through Saturday at Malvagio’s Restaurant will go to donations for Ukraine.
Malvagio's Restaurant opens from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and it is located at 4055 N Government Way Suite 7 in Coeur d'Alene.
If you are looking for other ways to support people in Ukraine, here is a list of organizations that are asking for assistance: