March 28 update: We've closed the raffle and drawn the giveaway winner – congratulations, S.K.! Thanks to your purchases of raffle tickets, heart charms, and other accessories, we've raised $9,573 for Direct Relief. Thank you so much for all of your donations!
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has entered its third week. Since Russian troops entered the country on February 24, thousands of people have been killed, and more than 2.3 million people have fled Ukraine, according to the United Nations. In besieged cities, people are facing shortages of food, medicine, electricity, and heat.
We decided to do what we do best: Make some leather goods. We're raffling off a limited-edition carryall, and selling special-edition heart charms, to benefit an organization that sends medical aid to Ukraine. Read on for all the details!
We're donating to Direct Relief
We're watching this crisis unfold from afar. But fortunately, there are many aid organizations that are in the ground in Ukraine to help. Direct Relief is working with Ukraine's Ministry of Health and has shipped more than $43 million in medical aid to Ukraine. That includes sutures, prenatal vitamins, and medicines and supplies to manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Direct Relief is working to address the medical needs of the thousands of people who have been internally displaced within Ukraine, as well as the many others who have fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries including Moldova and Poland.
This one-of-a-kind carryall will be raffled off
KMM & Co. has decided to donate to Direct Relief, and we're hoping that you can help us make that donation a little bigger. We made a one-of-a-kind carryall in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and we're going to give it away in a raffle!
Buy a $10 raffle ticket, and you'll be entered to win this beautiful bag. (Every ticket you buy is an additional entry, and there's no limit on the number of tickets you can buy!) 100% of the proceeds – i.e., every single dollar that you spend on raffle tickets – will go to Direct Relief.
Raffle tickets will be available to purchase until 11:59pm ET on March 25. A winner will be randomly chosen and notified on March 26. The raffle is open to entrants worldwide, and we're happy to cover the cost of shipping to wherever the winner lives.
The proceeds of these heart charms will go to Ukraine, too
We're also making special-edition leather heart charms in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and we're donating the proceeds to Direct Relief. Like the one-of-a-kind carryall, the heart charms feature Petrol Blue Bison and Yellow Bison, and we think they're the perfect symbol of love and support for the Ukrainian people.
Leather goods can't save the world. But we think it's a huge privilege that we get to spend our days making handmade leather goods for you, and we hope to do a little bit of good with that privilege. We hope that you'll join us in sending love (and medical supplies) to Ukraine, and we're so grateful for participation.
You can head to our page Help the People of Ukraine for all the details on our one-of-a-kind carryall raffle and our heart charms for Ukraine. If you have any questions, please drop us a line anytime at hello@kmmco.com.