How to support Ukraine refugees, residents at Asheville restaurants
3 min readASHEVILLE – Local restaurants and breweries are on a mission to feed Ukraine refugees and residents with the help of the Asheville community.
Benevolent Spirits: WCK Feeds Ukrainians campaign, headed by Katie Button Restaurants, launched March 9 and will run through March 15. The fundraiser is benefiting the World Central Kitchen, an international organization that responds to global crises by going to the front lines and providing food to those in need.
“For this Benevolent Spirits fundraiser, we’re partnering with World Central Kitchen. They are always one of the first organizations to the frontlines in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises,” Mary Palles Byers, director of brand marketing for KBR, said via email. “Currently, WCK is serving thousands of fresh meals to Ukrainian families fleeing home, as well as those who remain in the country. We’re happy to join forces with over two dozen Asheville establishments to support their efforts.”
Benevolent Spirits: WCK Feed Ukrainians is a way for local businesses and community members to offer support to Ukraine as the Russian invasion endures. Participating businesses will donate the proceeds from sales of a featured beverage to the organization that has been on the front lines since Russia’s initial attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Hot, nourishing meals are being served at border crossings to individuals who are fleeing the country, according to WCK. Distribution began at a 24-hour pedestrian border crossing in South Poland and has extended to eight border crossings and to Romania, Moldova and Hungary.
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Also, WCK teams have partnered with Ukrainian restaurants to prepare meals for people who remain in Odessa, Lviv, and Kyiv.
In 2017, KBR founded Benevolent Spirits to provide immediate assistance for those in need by assembling local restaurants, bars and breweries for the cause. More than $17,000 was reported to be raised for ASAP’s Farmer Relief Fund after Tropical Storm Fred in 2017.
For Benevolent Spirits: WCK Feeds Ukrainians, more than 25 local businesses have agreed to donate all the proceeds of one of their beverages garnered during the campaign to the WCK.
Katie Button Restaurant’s Cúrate Bar de Tapas and La Bodega by Cúrate will donate proceeds of its Sangria Rojo.
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse has created the Stand with Ukraine cocktail, made with Gordon’s Gin, Becherovka and lemon and Tamayokucha-infused honey.
Posana has selected The Empress, a cocktail made with Empress gin, Lillet Blanc, dry curacao, absinthe and lemon juice. Haywood Common is offering the Benevolent Bell cocktail made with vodka, bell pepper honey syrup, lemon and dandelion bitters.
Chai Pani will donate sales of its Tamarind Margarita. And Buxton Hall BBQ has chosen its Easy Peasy as the featured cocktail for the cause.
In addition, donations may be made directly to World Central Kitchen at wck.org/benevolentspirits. For more about WCK’s relief efforts, visit wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine.
Local restaurants participating in Benevolent Spirits: WCK Feeds Ukrainians
- Archetype Brewing
- Bhramari Brewing Company
- Biscuit Head
- Bouchon
- Burial Beer Co.- South Slope and Forestry Camp taprooms
- Buxton Hall BBQ
- Chai Pani
- Chestnut
- Copper Crown
- Cúrate
- Haywood Common
- Highland Brewing
- Isis Restaurant & Music Hall
- Karen Donatelli Bakery and Café
- Kornerstone Bistro
- La Bodega by Cúrate
- Limones Restaurant
- Pack’s Tavern
- Posana
- RendezVous
- Sunny Point Café
- The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village
- The Corner Kitchen
- The Lobster Trap
- Twisted Laurel – Downtown Asheville
- Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.