After almost 10 months of war, Ukrainian life and cities have been ravaged and changed forever. Alight, the Minneapolis-based nonprofit global humanitarian organization, supports Ukrainians in many ways, from guiding families to safety for partnership with Airbnb for short-term accommodation.
“When we started responding to the war in late February, early March, what we were hearing from our team was that one of the biggest needs was continued access to employment and income so that people could continue to support themselves and their families,” Jessica Phinney, experience manager at Alight, says.
Alight’s data told them that right after housing, the main need for Ukrainians is financial support. “We took those things and said, What can we create to bridge that gap and uplift those creatives, connect them to work, and bring a little more beauty and joy during such a difficult time?” she says.
of this need, Help2Art was born, Alight’s creative fund to support Ukrainian artists, designers, photographers and illustrators. The response first came in the form of creative emergency funds, unconditional cash transfers of $1,000 that individuals can use for whatever they need most, giving them the chance to support their family and to be able to express themselves through their art. To date, Alight has sent over 200 creative emergency funds, and of the artists who have been funded, over 60 have submitted artwork for the online gallery exhibition called Iconic Ukraine, which has become an ode to the strength and beauty of the country and its citizens. “What we wanted to try to encourage people to create is the heart and soul of Ukraine and what that meant to each of the artists,” Phinney said.
Alight’s broader mission, says Phinney, is to serve displaced populations wherever they are on their journey, which includes providing them with basic necessities. But to go even further, “we know that to be a whole person, you need that and to experience beauty and joy and to see a future for your family and your children and your life. to have opportunities yourself, so that helps that in a way.”
The gallery is available for store online, with 50% of profits going to the artists and 50% donated to Alight’s Ukrainian response. You can also find Aid2Art pieces in person at Olio Vintage (21 NE 5th St., Mpls) and at the Alight office (1325 Quincy St. Ste. A1) for a pop-up on December 15.
Comments are closed.