Borscht soup sales in Carpinteria brings in nearly $5,000. for Ukrainian relief efforts

CARPINTERIA, Calif. - The deep red beet Borscht soup sold for just one week in Carpinteria, turned into a generous green donation of cash for a special Ukrainian relief fund.

The idea was brought to the Food Liaison  kitchen by a Carpinteria resident of Ukrainian descent who grew up in a Ukrainian community in Toronto.

The sale took place the week of March 28.

In a previous story with Newschannel 3-11-12, Nadia Lyhitchenko, who has a local farm, said, "we know about the value of homemade broth. It is from one of my aged turkeys."

Using a Ukrainian recipe handed down through the family through the years, the borsht has red beets, potatoes, carrots, cabbage and other special ingredients that have made it a family favorite.

"Borscht from Kiev where my grandmother was born in a village," Lyhitchenko said. "It is her recipe and it's the recipe that everyone in that region cooks. It is regarded as the reddest of all the borscht."

Funds from each $25 dollar purchase will go to the relief agency Razom, which is the Ukrainian word for together. It is a non-profit providing front line humanitarian relief, and in this time of war, it supplies vital medical assistance in Ukraine.

A special display was set up in the Food Liaison dining area with detailed information about Razom.

"Being brought up Ukrainian-Canadian, in the Ukrainian community, we were well educated as children about our identity," she said.

She says, Canadians have been among the most welcoming to the refugees.

"Especially right now  they have an open door policy for any Ukrainian, no matter how many are coming in, (they) can enter Canada right now," said Lyhitchenko.

One customer said that by making this purchase, she felt like she was helping those in need in a personal way.

Lyhitchenko said, "you can have it cold or hot. I prefer it hot. Especially now that it's winter, ya know?"

Fresh ingredients have come from local farms and the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County.

Information about the non-profit relief efforts can be found at: Razom