Nephron CEO forms partnership to help feed Ukrainian families

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Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. owner and CEO Lou Kennedy took to social media on Wednesday to ask for help in providing food for families in Ukraine.

On the same day Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the U.S. Congress, Kennedy announced a partnership with David Beasley, former S.C. governor and executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme. Kennedy appealed for donations of $75 to provide an emergency food box to feed a Ukrainian family for one month.

“Each of us has been heartbroken to see the devastation in Ukraine,” Kennedy said. “Many of us have asked, ‘What can we do to help?’ ”

Donations of more than $75 can also be made, Kennedy noted, and asked Facebook followers to share her video post, which includes the donation link.

“Together, we can make a difference,” she said.

Nephron is headquartered in West Columbia.

Other area businesses have acted to help Ukraine after the Russian invasion of the country on Feb. 24. Silver Spoon Bake Shop, located on Devine Street, offered four-packs of petit fours decorated with blue-and-yellow hearts and sunflowers, Ukraine’s colors and national flower. In two rounds of sales during the past two weeks, the bakery netted $2,200, 100% of which was donated to World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit founded by Jose Andres providing food to Ukrainian citizens and refugees.

Earlier this month, Greenville restaurant Pomegranate on Main disposed of all Russian vodka and liquor from its bar and began serving Ukrainian vodka instead. The move came after Fort Mill-based Southern Spirits’ Feb. 24 boycott of Russian vodka.