CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) – More than 4,000 donations of new or used supplies were collected on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at a donation drive hosted by Sunrise MarketPlace, to assist Deep Roots of Ukraine.  The new nonprofit is collecting items that are needed to help protect Ukrainian citizens volunteering to join the fight to save the country. 

The event took place from 11 AM to 3 PM at MarketPlace at Birdcage in the Sunrise MarketPlace Business Improvement District.  Civilian Ukrainians are in need of protective military gear and medical supplies to help them survive. For four hours a steady stream of supporters drove up, and walked up with cash, checks and many of the requested donations including new and used military protective combat gear.

Anatoliy Gavrilyuk and Alex Romanayuk, co-founders of Deep Roots of Ukraine, have taken their need to help their fellow Ukrainians fighting the war to a new height. Although both are United States citizens, they have deep roots in their mother country.  They had been participating in other people’s fundraisers and on social media with a ‘thumbs up’ in response to posts on the plight of their people. They began to realize it was not enough. When they would ask for donations, the first question was, “who are you with?”

Having also traveled recently to the Mexican border to the airport at Tijuana to help the thousands of refugees arriving at the airport from Ukraine, they noted the locals charging them fifty to one hundred dollars for the short drive from the airport. Seeing this, they rented a van to transport the refugees. But it was still not enough.  

They realized they needed to be more proactive and Deep Roots of Ukraine was born. About a month ago they contacted Mayor Porsche Middleton and the City for help establishing a nonprofit. The city referred them to Kathilynn Carpenter, Executive Director of the Sunrise Marketplace, known for sponsoring events in the community to help make Citrus Heights a better place to live and do business. They provided the venue, advertising flyers and paid for radio spots. 

Anatoliy has a former classmate who is a volunteer soldier, fighting the war in the Ukraine, who asked him for protective gear for himself. They are not provided anything by the military. He thought if they could get a list and provide gear for hundreds of their fellow warriors, that would be a real help.  The commander in chief of artillery division of the Ukrainian military heard of their work and sent them an official, stamped list of all they needed to help protect the border at Belarus while the military’s main focus remains to protect Kyiv.  Thanks to this event they will now be able to provide more tactical gear and medical items for the fighting volunteers. Items can be purchased at Sacramento Black Rifle and used military surplus stores.  One titanium bullet proof vest was donated by a retired police officer. Their goal is to provide 200 vests to the volunteers.

Gavrilyuk himself is going through the process of applying to Washington D.C. to return to Ukraine as an American citizen fighting alongside his brothers.  It is a long process, and he must fund all of his costs and realize that there will be no negotiations for his release if he is captured. He is willing to take the risk for his mother country.

Gavrilyuk said this is just the beginning and the organization hopes to collect and deliver more supplies over the coming weeks and months. 

For more information on what is needed or to donate: [email protected] or call 916-599-2905