Some of the art that will be auctioned off during a benefit for Ukraine tonight is seen at the Rozsa Center. (Photo provided by Adelina Oronova)

HOUGHTON — A night of art and cinema will raise money that provides direct aid to Ukrainians.

Yoopers For Ukraine is hosting a gala event starting at 5:30 p.m. today at the Rozsa Center. The event will include screenings of documentaries about Ukraine, as well as an auction of Ukrainian-themed artwork donated by artists locally and from Europe.

“So many people have asked how they can help Ukraine, and so many of us feel helpless at the plight of the Ukrainians, and feel strength and awe at their resiliency,” said Nadija Packauskas, co-founder of Yoopers For Ukraine.

The idea for the gala began when Packauskas met someone whose mother was interviewed for “Baba Babee Skazala: Grandmother Told Grandmother.” The documentary tells the story of Ukrainian children torn from their homes during fighting between Nazis and Soviet forces during World War II.

Today’s event will also include a question-and-answer session with the director.

The gala will also mark the American debut of “52 Days of War,” a short film by the Odesa Photo Days Festival. It showcases the work of 52 photographers documenting the fighting in Ukraine.

“It’s not something they’ve shared before,” Packauskas said. “When I told them what we were doing and why we were doing it, they let us screen the films.”

The film screenings will begin at 6:30 p.m. To go with the films, Packauskas paired them with an art exhibit and silent auction. It includes pieces by local artists, as well as Ukrainian and Lithuanian artists from the U.S. and Europe.

“For me it’s been like Christmas every day, opening little treasures,” Packauskas said. “I would like the community to see this.”

Sunflowers and other images of hope show up in paintings, metalwork, ceramics, pottery and more.

Packaukas encourages families to come to see the art auction display even if they don’t stay for the screening.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for people in the community to see art that they may not see again,” she said.

Some money will go towards purchasing a new emergency vehicle for a chaplain who has been providing aid to Ukrainians on the front line of the war. The chaplain is a family member of Nazar Gora, a Ukrainian Ph.D. student at Tech and one of the founders of Yoopers For Ukraine.

The chaplain’s last new vehicle had broken down in April.

Tickets will also go towards buying medpacks that will be shipped to Ukraine. Razom, a non-profit humanitarian group providing war relief to Ukraine, has been making the packs in Detroit. The packs include tourniquets, chest wound seals and bandages.

Any money over the $20,000 goal will go to Marika Siegel, an associate professor of humanities at Michigan Technological University who is in Estonia helping Ukrainian refugees.

“This is the perfect opportunity for people to support the people of Ukraine knowing exactly where the money is going and who they’re helping,” Packauskas said.

Adult tickets are $30 and student tickets are $10; children under 15 get free admission. Tickets can be purchased at the Rozsa Center at mtu.edu/rozsa/ticket/calendar.