Ukrainian-owned London, Ont. café creates special doughnut to help homeland

Troubled at seeing Russia's violent invasion of her homeland, Olha Prytkova is offering a unique confectionery to help raise money for Ukrainians in need. 

The co-owner of the Happiness Café, which has two locations in London, Ont., is selling special yellow and blue doughnuts. All the money raised will go to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, where she was born and where she has extended family, including her parents. 

Prytkova and her husband came to Canada five years ago and have been watching the events of the past week with worry, shock and sadness. 

"Our family, our friends, lots of other people are still there," she said. "It's scary and really sad." 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is now on its sixth day. It has been pounding civilian targets in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, and a convoy of tanks and other vehicles continues to threaten the capital, Kyiv. Throughout the country, many Ukrainian civilians spent another night huddled in shelters, basements or corridors.

Most of Prytkova's relatives live in central Ukraine, which has so far been spared the worst of the fighting. However, she said Ukrainians fleeing Kyiv and other areas are moving west and in need of help. 

"They're scared," she said. "They don't know what it will be like one minute to the next. Or where they will be the next night." 

Prytkova is in close contact with relatives at home, and said they're experiencing significant shortages of everyday items. 

"They're running out of lots of things, just because borders are closed and factories are closed, and there's no gas," she said. "It's hard to even get food or clothes."

Prytkova said many regular Happiness customers, knowing of the cafe's connection to Ukraine, offered to help when the invasion began last week. They wanted to know how to help and that's when the idea of creating the blue and yellow doughnuts was born.

"All sales are going directly to the Ukrainian people for humanitarian needs like food and clothes and help with leaving," she said. 

Already more than one thousand have been sold. 

In the meantime, Prytkova says she's watching the news closely and staying in contact with people in Ukraine, hoping a peaceful solution can be reached. 

"I hope this will be ending very soon," she said. "I hope and pray for that."

The special doughnuts are available by pre-order only. Customers can pick them up on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.