While many know American businessman, philanthropist, and former Ambassador to Finland Earle I. Mack as a familiar presence in Palm Beach’s cultural and philanthropic life, his latest efforts are unfolding far beyond the island. This winter, Ambassador Mack and his foundation are helping bring critical heat and power to communities across Ukraine, where sustained attacks on energy infrastructure have left millions facing prolonged blackouts in freezing conditions.
Through the Earle I. Mack Foundation, in partnership with Project Victory and the Pataki Center, more than 1,150 generators and heaters have now been delivered. The most recent mission saw 750 generators distributed to some of the most vulnerable regions, where electricity outages can last up to 20 hours a day, and in some areas, weeks at a time. In many homes, power loss means no heat, no cooked food, and no access to clean water.
“These generators have been distributed to orphanages, shelters, foster families, home schools, and households, providing children with protection from prolonged blackouts,” Mack said. “In some frontline and recently liberated areas, electricity is unavailable for weeks at a time. By supporting these deliveries, we are helping bring stability and dignity to children and families facing extreme hardship as winter sets in.”
Ambassador Earle I. Mack and Former Governor George Pataki Delivering Generators
Mack has personally traveled to Ukraine four times to oversee deliveries, with a fifth trip planned in the near future. The work often takes place in frontline regions under daily drone and missile attacks. Beyond logistics, Mack has also turned to storytelling to document the human impact of the war. In 2024, he produced the Critics’ Choice–nominated documentary Once Upon a Time in Ukraine, which follows the lives of children growing up behind the frontlines.
For a figure long associated with cultural patronage and charitable causes at home, Mack’s work in Ukraine represents a continuation of the same principle on a global scale. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, his efforts reflect a commitment to showing up where help is most needed, and staying long enough to make a difference.