Hell's Kitchen - FAQ

Hell's Kitchen is a charitable organization which serves people within the Kharkiv Region, primarily by cooking fresh meals for hospital staff and patients, civilian and military, and getting medical and humanitarian aid delivered by outside drivers.

We are a busy, noisy, chaotic working kitchen. We need people who have their heads and hands in the game because people depend on us to get their food prepared. Volunteers must be willing to contribute with the same energy you see from elderly local volunteers around you, and sign up for 6 days a week, including weekend shifts. You will feel tired, look dirty, and it is what it is: a working kitchen.

There is zero glory, adventure or excitement. We simply do repetitive tasks, standing for long hours and cleaning up and preparing for the next day. We have to show up on time and stay until the work is done.

Our kitchen is very likely a target of enemy munitions, so all of us walk in with this understanding. Being a foreign volunteer in no way shields anyone from danger. Outdated and overburdened Ukrainian state hospitals do provide some medical care without fees in case of injury, even for those without insurance. Of course, we hope everyone can contribute here in safety.

As the war drags on, the risk changes. There are no predictable patterns of attacks. Some applicants ask where they should rent in order to be safer. In fact, there is no city district which you could consider safer than another.

Generally, we have 24-hour access to electricity and water. However, it is possible for us to have temporary black-outs. Volunteers can easily find power banks, battery-operated room lamps and candles in town.

From Europe to Asia, from South America to North America, hundreds of volunteers have served at Hell's Kitchen. Some have gotten temporary residence permits and are staying long-term.

• A variety of nationalities, but about 50% locals daily
• Ages from 15–76, mostly middle-aged, mostly female locals
• Foreign volunteers are usually 18–65, but we accept older folks who are able to do the job

See this German news report about our story (DW).

• Help prepare meal ingredients (cutting, washing, slicing, carrying, stirring, etc.) but there are specific cooks, all local, who do the actual cooking. Wash pots, containers. Sitting and standing during the shift.
• Cleaning is everyone's responsibility; if we sign up for bakery, we will have some cleaning tasks to do. We cannot just walk out and leave it in our teammates' hands. The same for vegetable prep duties.
• Prepare bread rolls as part of a team. Typically, volunteers help weigh ingredients, measure the dough, form the dough, package the rolls for pick-up, and clean up the bakery. We usually form over 700 rolls by hand per day. This requires standing for almost the entire shift of up to 6–7 hours.
• Help load and unload delivery vans of various items. We form human chains if there is a lot to deal with. You may handle items weighing up to 20 kg for a short period of time. Heavy items (50 kg) might be carried by pairs.

Sorry, we don't deliver things to the front lines, do evacuations or serve people food here. If this is what you would like to do, check out volunteeringinukraine.com for details and contacts at other organizations.

We never see tanks or infantry fighting vehicles around in the city. We do see and hear the ambulances, though. Most soldiers are unarmed on the streets here. It is a fairly normal life by appearances, though we have a curfew and photography restrictions in place, of course. You meet up with friends for something to drink, a pizza and laughs.

Watch the news, try to grasp the situation — the active combat in the villages north of us, for example, is just about 15–20 miles from here. And it is unstable. Know what you are getting into!

Usually, people don't move an inch when they hear an air raid siren blaring — or even explosions. We recommend that you pay attention to where the nearest shelter might be; look for side or rear entrances of buildings. Most have basements with signs.

Belgorod Oblast, Russian Fed., is just 20 miles north of us, and there is daily combat, usually from drones, missiles, etc.

Our kitchen is very likely a target of enemy munitions, so all of us walk in with this understanding. Being a foreign volunteer in no way shields anyone from danger. Outdated and overburdened Ukrainian state hospitals do provide some medical care without fees in case of injury, even for those without insurance. Of course, we hope everyone can contribute here in safety.

As the war drags on, the risk changes. There are no predictable patterns of attacks. Some applicants ask where they should rent in order to be safer. In fact, there is no city district which you could consider safer than another.

Generally, we have 24-hour access to electricity and water. However, it is possible for us to have temporary black-outs. Volunteers can easily find power banks, battery-operated room lamps and candles in town.

We never see tanks or infantry fighting vehicles around in the city. We do see and hear the ambulances, though. Most soldiers are unarmed on the streets here. It is a fairly normal life by appearances, though we have a curfew and photography restrictions in place, of course. You meet up with friends for something to drink, a pizza and laughs.

Watch the news, try to grasp the situation — the active combat in the villages north of us, for example, is just about 15–20 miles from here. And it is unstable. Know what you are getting into!

Usually, people don't move an inch when they hear an air raid siren blaring — or even explosions. We recommend that you pay attention to where the nearest shelter might be; look for side or rear entrances of buildings. Most have basements with signs.

Belgorod Oblast, Russian Fed., is just 20 miles north of us, and there is daily combat, usually from drones, missiles, etc.

There is the possibility of losing water pressure after Ruzzian attacks, or while maintenance is being done.

This water, known as "Technical Water", is NOT for consumption except in the most dire of circumstances.

From Europe to Asia, from South America to North America, hundreds of volunteers have served at Hell's Kitchen. Some have gotten temporary residence permits and are staying long-term.

• A variety of nationalities, but about 50% locals daily
• Ages from 15–76, mostly middle-aged, mostly female locals
• Foreign volunteers are usually 18–65, but we accept older folks who are able to do the job

See this German news report about our story (DW).

• Help prepare meal ingredients (cutting, washing, slicing, carrying, stirring, etc.) but there are specific cooks, all local, who do the actual cooking. Wash pots, containers. Sitting and standing during the shift.
• Cleaning is everyone's responsibility; if we sign up for bakery, we will have some cleaning tasks to do. We cannot just walk out and leave it in our teammates' hands. The same for vegetable prep duties.
• Prepare bread rolls as part of a team. Typically, volunteers help weigh ingredients, measure the dough, form the dough, package the rolls for pick-up, and clean up the bakery. We usually form over 700 rolls by hand per day. This requires standing for almost the entire shift of up to 6–7 hours.
• Help load and unload delivery vans of various items. We form human chains if there is a lot to deal with. You may handle items weighing up to 20 kg for a short period of time. Heavy items (50 kg) might be carried by pairs.

Sorry, we don't deliver things to the front lines, do evacuations or serve people food here. If this is what you would like to do, check out volunteeringinukraine.com for details and contacts at other organizations.

There is the possibility of losing water pressure after Ruzzian attacks, or while maintenance is being done.

This water, known as "Technical Water", is NOT for consumption except in the most dire of circumstances.

Just across the street from Kharkiv Train Station is a Vodafone office and a KyivStar office where you can buy a SIM card for as little as 250 UAH. Expect that on trains, there are periods of travel without connectivity.

There are multiple Vodafone, KyivStar, and other carrier offices around the city.

Just across the street from Kharkiv Train Station is a Vodafone office and a KyivStar office where you can buy a SIM card for as little as 250 UAH. Expect that on trains, there are periods of travel without connectivity.

There are multiple Vodafone, KyivStar, and other carrier offices around the city.

Please check volunteeringukraine.com to find other aid groups in Kharkiv and across Ukraine.