Portland’s celebration of Ukrainian culture becomes the launch point for a sustaining-donor drive
DAWN Inc., the Portland-based nonprofit delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine, returns with its fourth annual Ukrainian Winterfest on Saturday, December 5, from 1 to 8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (3131 NE Glisan St). This year, the festival pairs a holiday celebration with a call for lasting support, launching “$5 for Five Years,” a campaign to grow DAWN’s Circle of Steel, the community of monthly donors who sustain its work through a war now nearing its fifth year.
DAWN’s output has never been higher. Co-founder Yulia Brockdorf has now led 15 trips to Ukraine. The organization has deployed 31 evacuation vehicles and just sent its thirteenth shipping container of medical and humanitarian supplies. Sustaining that pace takes support as steady as the work itself. DAWN aims to add 2,500 new sustaining donors to its Circle of Steel by December 31. At $5 a month each, that would be $150,000 a year in aid from Oregon that Ukraine can count on.
Brockdorf shares:
“We come to Winterfest to learn, to celebrate, to remember, to honor, and to eat really good food. We also come to be inspired, and to find a place where each of us belongs and does more. Five years in, the need in Ukraine has grown while the headlines have faded. Five dollars a month, from enough people, keeps evacuation vehicles on the road and supplies moving to the front. That is what the Circle of Steel makes possible.”
Ukrainian Winterfest Details
When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 1 to 8 p.m.
Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 3131 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232
Details: dawnus.org
1 p.m. – Five Years of Valor Panel Discussion
Winterfest opens with firsthand accounts from people who have seen the war up close. They will discuss where the war stands nearly five years in, the humanitarian need on the ground, and what sustained support from Oregon makes possible.
Panelists include:
- Tim DuRoche (moderator), Director of Programs, WorldOregon
- Yulia Brockdorf, DAWN co-founder, who has led 15 aid trips to Ukraine
- Karl Altau, foreign policy advisor and Chair Emeritus of the Joint Baltic American National Committee
- John Rudoff, photojournalist who has photographed in Ukraine
- Adam Bradley, retired U.S. Army Ranger who traveled to the front lines with Brockdorf
2 to 8 p.m. – Music and Performances
The afternoon and evening program features a beloved assortment of Ukrainian culture bearers and advocates:
- Inna Kovtun, renowned traditional vocalist
- Joseph Harchinko, award-winning cellist
- Blue and Yellow children’s ensemble
- Michael Novokhatskyi, a 12-year-old Ukrainian woodwind virtuoso
- Lisova Pisnya, Ukrainian choir
- Amelia Lukas, Powell Flutes Artist, and Jennifer Wright, pianist and interdisciplinary artist
2 to 8 p.m. – Ukrainian Winter Wonderland: Craft, Food, and Culture
- Traditional demonstrations: Petrykivka decorative painting and Motanka doll making
- An expanded marketplace of artisan vendors and handmade holiday gifts
- “War Up Close,” the virtual reality installation from war.city
- An exhibit of artwork by Ukrainian children
- Traditional Ukrainian food and drinks (alcoholic options available)
Joining the Circle of Steel
Admission is free, with an invitation for guests to join the Circle of Steel as monthly donors, starting at just $5 a month. Every new sustainer counts toward DAWN’s goal of 2,500 by December 31, tracked live at dawnus.org/donate.
100% of event proceeds go directly to humanitarian aid for Ukraine’s defenders and displaced families.
Media Opportunities
DAWN co-founder Yulia Brockdorf and featured performers and panelists are available for advance interviews. Media are invited to attend; the panel at 1 p.m. and the performance program from 2 p.m. offer the strongest opportunities for coverage and photography.
About DAWN Inc.
DAWN Inc. (Defend Aid Widen Nurture) provides vital, unwavering support to the people, animals, and land of Ukraine, fostering health and resilience. Based in Oregon and founded immediately following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, DAWN takes a skilled, multifaceted approach through which its volunteers offer crucial, fearless, and adaptive care.
Its primary tenets of operation include:
- The acquisition and direct delivery of vast amounts of essential medical supplies to Ukraine
- In-person, onsite mental health care for active and veteran Ukrainian defenders
- Cultural diplomacy that preserves and promotes Ukrainian heritage
Together, these activities nurture resilience, protect Ukraine’s cultural identity, bridge gaps in medical care and health resources, and conserve and restore Ukraine’s natural environments.
DAWN is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing immediate, life-saving humanitarian assistance to those affected by the war in Ukraine. Since its founding in 2022, DAWN has delivered millions of dollars in direct aid through transparent, grassroots channels with minimal administrative costs.
Learn more at dawnus.org.
