Stephanie Gaber, Escapades producer at Brandywine Living at Princeton, left, made food to sell at a fundraiser for Ukraine. Yurly Boyechko, right, president of Hope for Ukraine, attended the event.

With Ukraine in a state of chaos, several senior living operators are taking action to help.

Residents of Brandywine Living at Princeton held a fundraiser March 30, including a charity sale with items made by the residents and team member Stephanie Gaber, Escapades producer, to show their support.

Among items for sale were paintings of the Ukrainian flag and sunflowers by residents, a variety of potted plants, and t-shirts bearing the Ukrainian flag. Traditional Ukrainian food for purchase included pierogi, stuffed cabbage, honey cake and apple cake made by Gaber.

“My entire family is from Ukraine, so this really hits close to home for myself and the Ukrainian seniors at our community,” she said.

The community raised $2,7863.20, and proceeds were donated to Hope For Ukraine in Rowland, NJ, to aid humanitarian efforts. Yurly Boyechko, president of Hope for Ukraine, was on site and said that all proceeds will go directly to buy food for Ukrainian refugees.

Residents of Brandywine Living at Princeton pot plants to sell at a fundraiser for Ukraine.

“The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine and the mass migration the world is currently experiencing is a sight that no one imagined we would see in our lifetimes,” said Patricia Will, founder and CEO of Houston, TX-based Belmont Village Senior Living. “It’s not enough to wring our hands. We are blessed to have the resources to help women, seniors and children during these difficult times. No act of kindness is too small for those in need.”

Using its BV Cares fund, which since 2008 has provided financial assistance to employees in crisis, the senior living provider is raising money to support women, children and the elderly in Ukraine through care.org. CARE has assisted the world’s most vulnerable populations for 75 years. In this case, the organization is striving to reach 4 million people in need of immediate emergency assistance through its Ukrainian Crisis Fund.

BV Cares raised $131,426 for CARE to support refugees at the border and matched fund donations made through its website up to $50,000. The donations will include food, water and hygiene kits. 

The BV Cares fund also has helped support its employees through hardships — for instance, including winter storms and COVID-19, helping with bill payments and shelter. Belmont Village then matches every donation dollar for dollar. 

“We stand with our Ukrainian team members who have been so deeply hurt by the tragic attack on their country,” Will added. “It is a crucial time to utilize our funding program, BV Cares, to help those that have been impacted by this humanitarian crisis.”

Those who wish to donate can text BV Care at 76278 or visit https://bvcares.givesmart.com.


Residents of WhiteStone senior living community, Greensboro, NC, have banded together and raised more than $5,103. The money will go to Global Ministries.  

To learn about the crisis and the country in general, residents will welcome Vas Taras, Ph.D., associate professor of international business at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, tomorrow for the community’s monthly lecture series.

Taras was born in Ukraine and is the founder of the X-Culture Project. He maintains close contact with Ukraine and still works with several Ukrainian universities and businesses.

Resident Don McCrickard was instrumental in bringing the professor to the community.


Read about efforts at The Osborn in Rye, NY, here.


Click here to see the In Focus archive and read how to submit photos of activities at your community for consideration of publication.

Related Articles