The foundation has financed a series of surgeries for Ukrainian soldiers, helped a children’s hospital in Ukraine (through
a partnership with Brother’s Brother Foundation) purchase analytic equipment for the critical care of infants, and funded a university scholarship program in conjunction with the Ukrainian
National Womens’ League of America (UNWLA) for students of Ukrainian descent. In addition, the foundation has created strong
partnerships with several organizations and universities and has sponsored several nonprofit events around the world. Here are a few highlights from 2023.
Partnerships
BUDUYUA
The Vovk Foundation and Buduyua have signed a memorandum of cooperation to help with ideas and concepts to rebuild a school in Ukraine using the latest STEM teaching techniques and
instructional materials, progressive layouts, and environmentally friendly materials.
SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY
Shepherd University and the Vovk Foundation signed an agreement that will expand the existing partnership between Shepherd and Western Ukraine National University Західноукраїнський національний університет and provide new educational opportunities for students of Ukrainian descent.
UKRAINIAN VENTURE CAPITAL AND PRIVATE EQUITY ASSOCIATION
The Vovk Foundation partnered with the UVCA – Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association and attended the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) together with Ukrainian
member start-up companies. UVCA, a member of Invest Europe, was established to spread the word about Ukraine’s achievements and opportunities and to support investors in
every aspect, from providing reliable information to establishing international connections at the industry and government levels.
UKRAINE AMERICA INITIATIVE
The Ukraine America Initiative (UA Initiative) and The Vovk Foundation entered into a partnership agreement to pursue opportunities that would support the education, physical/emotional well-being, and overall success of Ukrainian nationals displaced by Russia’s unjustified aggression. Specific areas of focus include: workforce development, education and training, and entrepreneurship.
BROTHER’S BROTHER FOUNDATION
The Vovk Foundation is working with Brother’s Brother Foundation to support wounded Ukrainian soldiers in need of prostheses and to financially support the purchase of much-needed medical equipment for pediatric hospitals in Ukraine. Brother’s Brother has provided global aid and developed sustainable projects in health care, infrastructure, disaster response, and education
since 1958.
ORGANIZATION FOR THE DEFENCE OF FOUR FREEDOMS OF UKRAINE
The Vovk Foundation and the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms of Ukraine (ODFFU) signed a Memorandum of Agreement to collaboratively support policy research as well as
humanitarian projects in Ukraine.
Activities
The Vovk Foundation has sponsored several nonprofit events, including Pittsburgh Ukrainian Food Festival in Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and the Boston Annual Ukrainian Festival, among others.
The Vovk Foundation has sponsored a major research effort around the history of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and one of its key leaders, Ivan Vovchuk (the Vovk family patriarch). The results will lead to the writing and publication of a very significant book about the history of this period and the key role he played. Expected publication is late summer 2024, in conjunction with an international launch/speaker series.
Scholarship
The foundation partnered with the UNWLA – Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Inc., to offer a scholarship this year for students of Ukrainian descent. The scholarship was awarded to Maria Kulchycky, who is attending Harvard University’s Kennedy School.
Fundraising
The foundation partnered with two artists/designers from Ukraine to create a line of T-shirts. All proceeds helped the foundation to empower students, entrepreneurs, and innovators in Ukraine.
The Vovk Foundation received a significant donation from renowned American Ukrainian conductor and violinist Adrian Bryttan. The Adrian Bryttan Stringed Instrument Collection comprises outstanding 20th century violins and violas produced by Dmytro Didtschenko, Walter Kozovsky, and Zenon Petesh, in addition to other noted makers.
In the news
In 2023, several news outlets around the world featured the Vovk Foundation, including:
Forbes Ukraine
Morgantown magazine
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Shlyah Peremohy
(Шлях Перемоги) –Pathway to Victory
Times West Virginian
The Ukrainian Weekly
WBOY-TV
Honors
The foundation was recognized as TOP 100 USA Entrepreneurs with Ukrainian Origins at a star-studded event in New York City. The event was hosted by Kateryna Osadcha, host of “The Voice of Ukraine,” “The Voice Kids,” and “Search for the Missing,” and Yuriy Gorbunov, host of “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Voice of Ukraine.”
Financial Statement
The foundation raised over $110,000, inclusive of funds from its founders. Vovk Foundation spends a minimum of 90% of all proceeds on project work, scholarships, and related activities of high impact.
Social Media
In the inaugural year of our nonprofit foundation, our strategic utilization of social media emerged as a powerful catalyst in building awareness and fostering community engagement. We hired New South Media to create a new website and launch an aggressive public relations and social media campaign. Through sharing relevant content conveying messages that resonate with our followers, we witnessed substantial growth across our social media channels. On platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, our follower base experienced remarkable expansion, creating a robust network of individuals who are passionate about our cause that we can continue to build up on in coming years.
