Watch CBS News

Ukrainian woman who owns Texas bakery donates proceeds to her homeland's military

Texas bakery donates to Ukrainian military
Texas bakery donates to Ukrainian military 01:30

People from all around the world have united in support of Ukraine — including the owner of a small bakery in Texas.

Anna Afanasieva left her family in Odessa, Ukraine, years ago to start a new life in the U.S. She ended up in San Antonio, Texas, and just over a year ago opened Laika Cheesecakes & Espresso.

But her loved ones, spanning three generations, are still in Ukraine trying to escape.

"I am trying really hard to evacuate them now," she said. 

The 28-year-old felt like she had to do something — so she decided that all weekend sales at her cheesecake shop would go toward helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

What she didn't expect was a crowd of people, some lined up for hours, to show Afanasieva and other Ukrainians how much they cared.

She raised more than $72,000 in one weekend and plans to keep accepting donations.

"This is the least I can do," Afanasieva told CBS News. "I'm not trying to make a hero out of myself either, because the heroes — they are all there and they are fighting." 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.