Ukrainian family using their restaurant to raise money to help people escape fighting in Ukraine

A Ukrainian couple who came to Southwest Florida to open a restaurant is doing more than praying for the war to end. They are sending the profits from the Tartine and Tartelette restaurant in North Naples to help people escape the fighting. They are motivated to take action because of a girl they left behind.

In order to chase the American dream, Galyna and Sergiy Horyslavsky left their family in Ukraine behind, including Sergiy’s daughter Alina. The couple settled in North Naples and opened a restaurant.

“I worry for my family in Ukraine. I worry about my daughter, all family, children, people. This is my family. I worry,” said Sergiy Horyslavsky.

When they arrived in America six years ago, they did not imagine their daughter would be in harm’s way. Now, two weeks into the Russian invasion of their homeland, they live every day in fear. “She lives in Kyiv, she works in Kyiv, she studied in Kyiv, and now she moved to the west part of Ukraine because she lost everything. Home, she lost her job. Everything,” said Galyna.

Sergiy said his heart aches for his daughter. He takes some small comfort in the fact she’s now fled to Lviv, away from the fighting where he still has three homes. He said he’s opened those homes up to others searching for safety. Most don’t have the money or the right paperwork to cross the border into Poland.

Fighting back tears, Galyna hopes there’s an end in sight. “We just want to stop fighting. We just so worried about all kids, all families who are right now in Ukraine,” Galyna said.

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