The New York Jets have donated $100,000 to benefit CityServe. The donation is part of the organization’s $1 million commitment, to be split between various organizations, meant to help aid the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Previous donations of $100,000 were given to Plast Scouting (April), Razom for Ukraine (May), the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (June) and the UNITED24 (July). Additionally, the Jets have designated CityServe as the recipient of the 50/50 gameday raffle for the Sunday, September 25 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. During the game, the team will highlight the humanitarian crisis with players wearing a decal of the Ukrainian flag on their helmets and the flag will be painted in the end zones of MetLife Stadium.
“We are honored and grateful to receive this generous donation that will help Ukrainian women, their children and the elderly through the trauma of war. Local churches in Ukraine, Poland and other surrounding regions are on the frontlines of this crisis. It is our mission to resource churches as they rescue and care for the Ukrainian people. Thank you to the Johnson Family and the Jets Foundation for your heart of compassion and generosity,” said Karl Hargestam, Executive Vice President of Programs and Affiliates, CityServe.”
The events in Ukraine are personal to the Johnson family and the New York Jets. Suzanne Johnson, wife of Jets Chairman, Robert Wood Johnson, grew up in a Ukrainian neighborhood in New York and is from a family of immigrants. Her mother, Marie, was born to Ukrainian immigrant parents while her father, Stefan Ircha, was born in Ternopil and immigrated to the United States after WWII.
These funds will be directed to support the CityServe Krakow Housing Project to expand a refugee Safe House in Krakow, Poland. The Safe House provides private rooms for family life, kitchen and laundry facilities, food and other necessities. It has been reported over 8 million refugees have fled Ukraine in search of safety and most have found help in Poland. This build out is part of CityServe’s four-fold strategy to respond to the crisis. Learn more at www.cityserve.us/ukrainian-crisis.
For more information on the cause and the charitable organizations that have received the donations, please visit https://www.newyorkjets.com/community/ukraine-relief.