WORCESTER, Mass. - Far from the conflict, a small taste of Ukraine is being served up in Worcester’s Canal District. 

“It’s very good. I like it,” said Mateusz Surowaniec. “I can eat the whole thing very easily with a big cup of milk.”

Surowaniec grew up in Poland 60 miles from the Ukraine border. Now, he’s in Worcester, working at European Bakery and Pastry and preparing Paska, a traditional Ukranian Easter bread, to help people back home. 

“My family right now is over there,” Surowaniec said. “It’s not good. It’s very sad.”

His family tells him Poland is doing its best and trying to help the thousands of refugees in search of a safe place. 

“They are trying to place all the kids in school and get some food and everything,” Surowaniec said. “They are trying to get them medical attention.”

European Bakery and Pastry will donate the money they make from their Paska sales to World Central Kitchen, an organization working in Poland feeding Ukrainian refugees. 

“We wanted to get involved because this is traditionally a Polish bakery,” owner Casey Griswold said. “A lot of our employees are Polish. It just seemed fitting that they are in Poland. World Central Kitchen is in Poland right now doing this. It seemed like the right thing to do.” 

What You Need To Know

  • European Bakery and Pastry in Worcester is making Paska earlier than normal this year
  • All the money made from the traditional Ukrainian bread will be donated to World Central Kitchen, an organization working in Poland feeding Ukrainian refugees
  • One of the shop's bakers has family in Poland and they tell him the country is doing its best to help the refugees
  • The bread is available for order and pick up on Friday and Saturday 

Customers seem to agree. In just two days, they've raised more than $100 without selling a single Paska. 

"People had seen the (social media) post, they came in and asked how to help," Griswold said. "They started giving us cash to donate."

The bakery is offering the Paska bread on Friday and Saturday. Griswold said customers can call ahead to place an order or come in and pick some up. ​

The shop usually only offers the bread once a year. There's a process to follow and it takes up to seven hours to make.

To place an order, customers can call the bakery at (508) 767-1651 or stop in from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.