September 2025
Dear Friends of Ukraine,
Change is one of the few constants of war. Thanks to our team members in Ukraine, Sunflower Seeds Ukraine remains agile and attuned to these ever-changing needs. Certain protective items we provided in high quantities, such as knee pads and load-bearing vests, now have better government supply. The demand for IFAKs and electronic earmuffs remains evergreen. Other items that were highest in demand at the beginning of the war, like bulletproof vests and thermal monoculars, are no longer as critical. Instead, items that once seemed exotic, such as drones jammers and other anti-drone protection, now play a key role on the battlefield.
Read on to discover how something as low-tech as fishing nets can help protect against cutting-edge fiber-optic strike drones that are resistant to radio jamming. You’ll also learn how your donations this summer made an impact by providing electronic earmuffs and water purifiers, hear about upcoming events, and learn why the Tryzub (trident) is Ukraine’s national symbol. Or read no further, and donate now to help today.
Thank you for making a difference.
Together we are stronger!
Kyle, Andriy, Slava, Ulana, Natalie and all of us at
Sunflower Seeds Ukraine
Spread Seeds of Help!
In July 2025, we provided 2,323 items to 375 Defenders, including:
200 individual first aid kits (tourniquets, chest seals...)
885 protective equipment items (electronic earmuffs...)
899 tactical gear items (camelbacks, knee pads, canteens...)
517 uniform components (lots of boots again this month)
339 other items (mostly binoculars and drone detectors...)
Thanks to your support for our water campaign, we sent over 150 water filters and 800 camelbacks directly to Ukrainian Defenders on the front lines. Thanks to 190 donors for your support of our earmuffs campaign–you enabled us to send a grand total of 716! We are also so grateful for your support in meeting our goal of $25,000 for the school campaign. Our contacts in Ukraine have already begun work on adding two bathrooms to the bomb shelter, have manufactured a suitable replacement for the broken boiler, and now are working on securing a heating furnace.
Thank you for all of your support! The success of these campaigns wouldn’t have been possible without your help.
Drones with fiber optics links that resist jamming pose a growing threat to Defenders on the front lines, especially in winter when there is no natural cover. Anti-drone safety nets provide a simple and effective physical barrier, shielding vehicles, positions, and even roadways from attack. For just $100 you can fund a transparent net to guard all approaches to a position, or for $200 you can cover a vehicle from all sides with sturdy nets–protecting the lives of 3-4 Defenders or evacuation medics.
Please donate today and help us deliver these safety nets to the units that need them most.
Please mark your calendars for several ongoing and upcoming events:
Ukraine Under Fire: A Short Film + Q&A with Journalist and Filmmaker Jordan Campbell
On Sunday, September 21st, attend a special screening of UKRAINE UNDER FIRE | A Film About War & Resilience (2025) at E-Town in Boulder. The doors open at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:30. Register now as seating is limited.
BEZ OBMEZHEN (Strong Hearts) North America Tour 2025 in Denver on October 17th
BEZ OBMEZHEN is coming from Ukraine to the Oriental Theater as part of their North America Tour! See a clip from one of their last tours here. Details and tickets can be found here.
Cyndi's Traveler's Tarot Exhibit
Thank you to our very talented volunteer Cyndi Kennedy for donating proceeds of her art show to Sunflower Seeds Ukraine. Her art exhibit, which runs through the end of September, is currently featured at the Lafayette Public Library in Colorado.
Ruslan Horovyi: Ukrainian Readings and Film
Ukrainian filmmaker, author, and humanitarian Ruslan Horovyi will appear in three Colorado locations: Castle Rock, Arvada, and Louisville between October 9-11 to share his latest film (Castle Rock only) and share readings. This is a Ukrainian language event.
For dates and times of this and other events, as well as a recap and photos of our recent events, see our blog post.
Meet Anastasiia, one of our Colorado-based volunteers who is originally from Ukraine. Ana moved from Kyiv to Ohio in 2021 to study for her Master’s degree, and later relocated to Denver for work. Her parents and cat still live in Kyiv, and she remains very close to them despite the physical distance.
Ana first encountered SFSU at a rally at the Colorado State Capitol and has been helping with social media since April. Back in Ohio, she was a member of another Ukrainian volunteer organization and felt it was important to continue the work of supporting Defenders. SFSU’s impact in Ukraine is “visible, tangible, and effective,” she says, because “you see exactly where the help is going and how your contribution is making a difference.” Thanking SFSU donors for their support, she reminds us that her homeland has no choice but to keep defending itself: “if russia stops fighting, there will be no war; if Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine.”
To read more about Ana and other SFSU team members, go to our Patreon page. There, you also can also subscribe to get exclusive interviews with recipients of our aid from the front lines and behind-the-scenes videos about our work.
You’ve probably seen Ukraine’s Tryzub (trident) on flags, jerseys, or military patches—but do you know its story?
The Tryzub goes back over 1,000 years, first used by Prince Volodymyr the Great of Kyivan Rus. His predecessor, Prince Sviatoslav, used a two-pronged version called the bident. Over time, the symbol was adopted and repurposed throughout multiple periods of Ukrainian history.
Then, in 1918, the Ukrainian People’s Republic revived the Tryzub as its coat of arms. Forbidden under the Soviets, it became a quiet sign of resistance. Today, it’s Ukraine’s official emblem, and a powerful symbol of independence and resilience.
For more about the rich history of the Tryzub, check out our blog post.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD
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*The misspelling and lower casing of proper names like ‘russia’ in this newsletter is intentional and used as signs of disdain and disrespect. Similarly, the uppercasing of words such as ‘Defenders’ is intentional and used as a sign of respect and appreciation.
Note: Sunflower Seeds Ukraine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 99-3371103) registered in the state of Colorado, in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service. Donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by U.S. law.
