Seed Programs International is working with several organizations and schools in Ukraine and Poland to support Ukrainians and their communities as they experience the effects of Russian hostilities. Here is a summary of some of the programs:

•  School Resiliency Gardens in Poland: SPI is partnering with Resiliency Gardens in Poland for school gardening programs. The program included 7 schools for the 2022/2023 school year,  10 schools for the 2023/2024 school year, and 10 schools for the 2024/2025 school year – for a total of 27 schools so far! Each school is given a grant to create a school garden. In addition, an educational support aid will visit each school to assist in teaching programs in gardening basics, cultivation intercropping, natural fertilization, composting, growing sprouts, and the role of pollinators. This program was founded by SPI Board member June Lavelle.

• School and Urban Gardens in Ukraine: In 2022-2023, SPI partnered with SURGe for their Victory Gardens (Сади Перемоги) program. This program worked in Kyiv, Kamyanets-Podilskyi, Zhytomyr, Zorivka, and Volochysk. Programs included school and community gardens, greenhouse restoration, community harvest festivals, orchard planting, indoor microgreen projects, food preparation lessons, and teacher workshops.

•  School and Urban Gardens in Ukraine: In 2024 and 2025, SPI is partnering with Bukovinian Agency of Regional Development (BARD) to support programs in Kyiv, Chortkiv, Bucha, and Kopychyntsi Ukraine. These programs include urban gardening and education, promoting traditional “Family Borscht” soup production highlighting Ukrainian culinary traditions, combining herbalism with a historic pharmacy, running a permaculture design course, and creating a green courtyard at a commuinty center. 

•  Seed Distribution in Ukraine: SPI is partnering with Charity Fund Modern Village to distribute vegetable seeds to migrant families and the elderly in the Cherkasy Oblast of Ukraine. Packets of cucumber, tomato, beet, carrot, and cabbage seed are being distributed to create gardensat 17 institutions including: village councils, boarding houses for the elderly and disabled, and psychoneurological boarding schools. 

• Seeds of Glory: In 2024, this program is distributing seed sets to families in hard-to-reach areas of southeast Ukraine to provide humanitarian support for internally displaced and at-risk families. This program is ran by local actors, including an heirloom seed shop, a grassroots network, and a former Peace Corp volunteer. 

•  Fruit Tree Planting in Ukraine: SPI is partnering with Lviv Charitable to plant over 1,000 fruit trees in the Zakarpattia Oblast of Ukraine. A portion of each harvest is donated to food relief efforts.

•  Vitamin Donations: SPI is partnering with Nova Ukraine and MAP International to provide 10,000 bottles of vitamins to UCare and Recovery Camp.