Where to Eat and Drink to Support Ukraine

"I don't want this to fade away. This is ongoing. So many people are losing their lives," says Talia Haykin, who co-owns Haykin Family Cider with her husband, Daniel. The war in Ukraine hits close to home for the Haykins. Daniel's mother was born there and spent years trying to escape the former Soviet Union; she finally made it to America as a Jewish refugee in 1980, and Daniel was born five months later.

When Daniel was a child, his grandfather, Gregory, who had a Ph.D. in horticulture and was the chief forester of a region in Ukraine, came to live with the family in America. "Unbeknownst to them, Gregory snuck Ukrainian apple scions into the country, and immediately grafted and planted new apple trees in their backyard," the Haykins shared on Instagram. "Daniel's earliest interest in apples and growing started with Ukrainian apples."

Talia's family also has roots in Ukraine; through genetic research, she was able to connect with some extended family members who live there a few years ago. Daniel and his mother still have family in that country, too, including some who are sheltering in place and a cousin who is fighting — and whom the Haykins have not heard from since before the conflict began.

Because Daniel and his mother speak both Russian and Ukrainian and have had conversations with family members in Ukraine, they have been able to provide insight about the conflict. "Russians and Ukrainians are brothers," Talia notes. "There are families divided, there are kids there fighting who don't understand why they are fighting."

At first the Haykins opted to support Ukraine by donating privately, finding ways to get money directly into the hands of people there, such as booking Airbnbs. "Cider is cider; it's not political," Talia notes. But because the cause hits so close to home, Talia and Daniel soon felt that they wanted to do more. "We're committed to raising awareness," Talia notes.

And so, through the end of March, the Haykins will donate 10 percent of all sales, online and from the tasting room at 12001 East 33rd Avenue in Aurora, to Ukrainian causes, including a direct donation to the Ukrainian army as well as individuals who are trying to help independently, such as those driving refugees to the border.

Haykin Family Cider is not alone. Several breweries have opted to rebrand their Putin-monikered brews, including Call to Arms, which is donating $1 from sales of its Shirtless Putin Catchin' Rays to UNICEF's fund to help children in Ukraine as it runs through the last of its labels. At Mizuna, executive chef Adam Samokishyn recently brought his mom into the kitchen to make pierogi and borscht using his Ukrainian grandmother's recipes for a special to-go fundraiser dinner (which sold out).

Other eateries have slated ongoing specials and upcoming events to benefit the cause. Here are four more helping raise money for Ukraine:
The Golden Mill
1012 Ford Street, Golden
On Monday, April 4, the Golden Mill food hall and Elan Wenzel of Element Knife Company (whose great- grandparents fled Kiev in the 1890s) are teaming up for a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen, which is working to feed Ukrainian refugees. The event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m., and will include knife competitions and demonstrations from many of the state's top chefs, as well as a silent auction.

Misfit SnackBar
3401 East Colfax Avenue
Chef Bo Porytko, whose grandparents emigrated from Ukraine, is serving rabbit-and-potato-stuffed pierogi with mustard cream sauce and fried dill through the end of March and donating proceeds to Ukrainian causes. Porytko is selling Easter baskets with charcuterie, caviar, baked goods and even booze from local restaurants including To the Wind Bistro, Urban Cookie, Fox Run Cafe, Duo, the Bindery, Spuntino, Restaurant Olivia, Crema and Middleman. Baskets are $150 each, and Porytko hopes to sell fifty of them. Proceeds will go to Razom for Ukraine.

Cattivella
10195 East 29th Drive
Chef Elise Wiggins is planning to go to Poland in May to work directly with World Central Kitchen, but in the meantime, she's launching a new brunch at her Central Park Italian eatery on April 16 — when 10 percent of the revenue from that day's brunch service will be donated to World Central Kitchen.

To the Wind
3333 East Colfax Avenue
Stop by this bistro for a beet-infused martini made with Bear Creek Distillery's rye vodka. The cocktail is $14, and all proceeds will be donated to a fund for Ukrainian refugees.