Dziekuje, Polsko
“This is the kind of coming together that no other country has shown their strength like your country. It is a worldwide issue but you guys are leading, and we thank you.”
Eddie Vedder, Krakow, Poland July 14, 2022
The United Nations estimates that nearly 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees have fled the Russian violence to neighboring country Poland. As Pearl Jam performed on stage last night in Krakow, Eddie thanked a few of the many individuals and foundations doing the groundwork to support refugees in all facets from food security, housing, mental health, employment, and more.
Love Dębniki Foundation. When the refugee crisis began, Olga Lany was able to organize an entire district of Krakow, resulting in 4,000 people in the neighborhood opening their doors to Ukrainian families in need. Olga and volunteers created a Facebook group to organize refugee transport from the border, supplies, clothing, and bedding. As a result of her activism, hundreds of refugee families were taken in and supported in finding housing, education, employment opportunities, and getting established to a new life in Poland.
Soup for Ukraine What began with a handful of people taking hot soup to refugees at the train station has turned into an initiative providing hot meals for all people waiting along the Ukrainian-Polish border. Every day Kasia Pilitowska and her network of volunteers, residents, and restaurants cook and give out meals to hundreds of refugees and have now served more than 100,000 meals.
Let’s Help Together Foundation Since the start of the war, Agnieszka Korsak and her colleagues have helped more than 2,400 refugees find food, housing, clothing, and transport from the border. When it became apparent that the psychological devastation is as bad as the physical destruction, Agnieszka and her team went into overdrive to develop a counseling clinic and recruit qualified Ukrainian psychologists to staff it.
CORE - Community Organized Relief Effort supports communities around the globe who currently face crises. It is currently on the ground in Poland and Romania working with local and international partners to meet the critical needs of Ukrainian refugees.
In addition to these heroic groups, Pearl Jam is honored to support and share the critical work of the following organizations.
Copernicus Group - Thank you to the fans who organized a fundraiser for this organization before the Budapest and Krakow shows! Copernicus is a grass-roots organization consisting of over 900 people who assist the most vulnerable groups of people evacuate Ukraine into safety. Once safely evacuated, the Copernicus Group ensures they receive necessities as well as services such as medical care, transport, accommodation, job support, and more.
Mediazona - This news organization led by Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina – founding members of the Pussy Riot, supports critical work to combat Russian misinformation on the war.
SUCHO - Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online is a collective of librarians, archivists, researchers, and programmers working to preserve Ukrainian arts and culture by digitizing documents and artworks.
Emergency Support Initiative - A grassroots emergency relief initiative operated by the directors of the Kyiv Biennial, addressing basic needs for artists with direct support, such as relocation costs within Ukraine and residency programs in Western Ukraine.
United24 - Launched by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine, funds will be allocated by assigned ministries to cover the most pressing needs.
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Song Wishlist: Oceans, Brother, Alone, Let Me Sleep, full W.M.A., Hold On, Bugs/all of Vitalogy, Gremmie Out Of Control (BAM!), Mankind, Around The Bend (full band), Whale Song (DOUBLE BAM!), The Long Road, Don't Gimme No Lip, Pilate, Push Me Pull Me, All Those Yesterdays, Rival, Parting Ways, Ghost, Bu$hleaguer, WWS, Parachutes, Army Reserve, low octave Driftin', Strangest Tribe, Other Side, Undone, Fatal, Hitchhiker, Education, Black Red Yellow, Of the Earth, Love Reign O'er Me, Gonna See My Friend, Amongst the Waves, Santa Cruz, Infallible, Yellow Moon, Alright, Comes Then Goes, Got to Give, and the Mamasan Trilogy.