December 28, 2023
58,292 people evacuated from danger to date
157 people evacuated from danger this week
59 trips into the deoccupied and frontline territories
As 2023 draws to a close, we reflect on the 22 months we’ve spent supporting volunteer efforts in Ukraine. This path has been filled with growth and change. Our team in the US and teams in Ukraine have evolved significantly, streamlining operations, establishing NGOs for fuller transparency and successfully working on countless initiatives. Despite these changes, the core of our mission remains steadfast: dedicated volunteers we support continue to offer their services, driven by a shared commitment to help those who have suffered from Russia’s war on Ukraine.
In line with our tradition, Ukraine TrustChain has allocated a small portion of donated funds to provide a modest allowance to the full-time volunteers during this holiday. The outpouring of gratitude we received from them was overwhelming, but it's important to remember that this gratitude is truly meant for each of you who has contributed. Your donations have made this support possible, sustaining not only our operations but also the spirit of generosity and solidarity that defines our community."
Evacuation Drivers sent us this picture from Sviatohirsk overlooking liberated territories of Eastern Ukraine
Stories
Ukraine TrustChain in the Press
Earlier this year, Trudy Rubin, a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer, traveled to Ukraine. There she connected with Alena, UTC team leader from Odesa. Together they traveled to Kherson and saw firsthand the immense consequences of the war and Kakhovka Dam floods. As we chatted on Telegram, Alena expressed her admiration of Trudy's energy, incredible drive to visit the most difficult locations and clarity on what was happening in Ukraine.
Last week, Trudy’s article was published. We appreciate the timing of the article at the conclusion of the 2023 giving season. We hope it will serve as yet another proof of the efficiency and relevance of Ukraine’s volunteer movement and help members of our community who continue to spread the word about UTC. You can find the article here:
Charitable Kitchen in Odesa
This week, Yulia, a founding member of Sandra's kitchen in Odesa (one of Oleksander D's network of teams) wrote to tell us more about her team's origin story. In the first days of the war, during the massive flight of panicked people from Eastern Ukraine, refugees showed up at the Odesa train station, often with nothing but a bag holding their documents – no winter clothes, no food. Four friends teamed up with whatever money and supplies they had on hand and started cooking and serving people meals at the station. In three days their money ran out, but Sandra posted the project on the Internet and resources started pouring in.
The work not only helped the refugees, but saved the volunteers too from fear and hatred. In those days there was so much fear. Rockets were flying right over the station -- one coming so close that it clipped the flag on the roof. Yulia remembers coming home and crying at night. But the hot meals made people so happy, so the team persisted. There have been many changes in personnel since then, with only Yulia and Sandra remain of the original team, but the kitchen has now been operating for 22 months.
Continued Vegetable Deliveries in Kherson Region
A month ago we shared that Alena successfully delivered vegetables to liberated towns, spending $17/person and providing enough for three winter months. Recently, when Alena visited to distribute holiday gifts to children, neighboring towns requested similar assistance. However, the farmers previously providing vegetables at cost were sold out. Alena then sourced from Odesa's market, overcoming complex logistics to deliver vegetables to three additional towns. Although we couldn't provide 45 kg per household as before, we extended our reach to 490 households, benefiting approximately 1,400 people.
Thanks to your generous support, we were able to absorb the cost increase, though we still still had the truck capacity limitation, and couldn’t bring in more than 22-tons. The people from all three nearby towns came to watch and help unload the truck. Despite the danger of gathering in an area that could come under enemy shelling, people refused to leave without assurances that they will receive their share. At the moment, the food locals rely on consists exclusively of dry and canned goods, making produce very valuable, especially since people who live in these areas are used to farming and eating vegetables.
In the same week, 20 miles west, Pavel made a similar delivery to the village of Prybuzke.
Help in the Occupied Territories
420 packages distributed in 5 occupied cities. Volunteers noted that the food situation was easier during the summer and the number of people in need is now exceeding the bandwidth of the teams able to provide help in the occupied territories.
4 people were evacuated from the Russian-occupied left bank, including one amputee and another who had suffered multiple strokes.
Team Summaries
Ihor’s Team – Dobra Sprava (“Good Cause”)
152 people evacuated during 15 trips to Lyman, Mykolaiv, Svyatohirsk, Kramatorsk, Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Kherson areas.
Inna’s Team – Krok z Nadiyeyu (“Step with Hope”)
22.5 tons distributed to 8,150 people in 47 destinations.
Bread was again distributed to 9,500 people.
Delivered firewood to:
36 families in Druzhkivka.
11 families in Izyum families with extremely low income.
Kherson operation:
Kherson continues to be under daily shelling. Oleksandr, is sheltering a person whose home was destroyed late last week.
Performed rat extermination in 10 buildings, two of them large (a school and a factory building).
Restored windows in 2 apartments.
Dehumidified, and disinfected 3 buildings.
Performed 39 equipment maintenance tasks.
4 trips to Berislav and nearby villages of Chervony Yar, Sukhanove ad Mylove, delivering aid and warm clothing to 200 people.
2 more trips delivering aid to Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Selidove.
9 tons of water delivered to Nikopol and Sholohovo, delivered water to the apartments of those who couldn’t carry it themselves.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S (Boyarka): delivered 1.5 tons of food packages to the Sumy region.
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): transported 35 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv and 9.5 tons of water to Kherson.
Andriy P (Mykolaiv): brought 1 ton of medicines (worth more than €10,000, intended for a children's hospital in Dnipro) and 1 ton of presents for kids from Germany to Mykolaiv. Delivered an 8 kW generator from the Netherlands to Odesa.
Sandra S (Odesa): kitchen fed more than 1,200 people.
Yuri S (Vinnytsia): delivered 150 kg of grains to a children’s school in Stryzhavka (Vinnytsia Region) and 50 kg to the children’s school in Vinnytsia. Took 2 disabled people to the rehabilitation center in Vinnytsia and 3 three disabled people to a boarding school in Plyskiv (Vinnytsia Region).
Oleksandr D (Lutsk): Distributed the 1 ton of energy bars previously brought from Germany: 70% shipped to Inna’s team in Dnipro, Artem’s team in Hostomel and Oleksandr S’s team in Obukhiv. The rest was distributed locally to organizations working with internally displaced people (IDPs). Delivered 70.5 tons of fuel briquettes to 141 households in the Kherson Region villages of Pryozerne, Komyshany and Zymivnyk.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): Held 3 art therapy sessions for 64 children with disabilities, children from large families and from military families. Also 1 art therapy session for 16 people from large families and wives of military service members. Helped 123 people with food, bread, blankets, events for children, gifts, wheelchairs and diapers. Donated 300 kg of barley groats to the local zoo.
NGO Angelia
12/2-12/23/23: Made 3 trips to Germany and the Czech Republic, bringing 6,900 kg of humanitarian aid, 2,900 of which was delivered to Ochakiv (Mykolaiv Region) at the request of Ochakiv’s mayor.
Kseniia’s Team - NGO Livyj Bereh (“Left Bank”)
4 families received new roofs in Slatyne and Prudianka.
During the holiday week Kseniia organized fundraising events giving flower art master classes in Kyiv.
Darya, a Kharkiv volunteer we’ve supported through Kseniia, came to Kyiv to take part in her own fundraising events for the holiday.
Karina’s Team - We Save Dnipro
Delivered 4 potbelly stoves and humanitarian aid to large families in Nikopol.
Tetiana’s Team - Dopomoha Poruch
Organized holidays celebration for 87 internally displaced kids in Smila.
Distributed 85 Advent calendars to disabled kids in Smila and nearby villages.
Organized holidays celebration for kids in Dubiivka, Cherkasy region.
Distributed 20 gift packages in a school in Khats’ky, Cherkasy region.
Distributed 250 aid packages and 60 advent calendars in Odnobrovka, Kharkiv region.
Timur’s Team – Timur and Team
Delivered 87 aid packages to Kurylivka near the front line. Helped bring a few special gifts for New Year's and evacuated pets for families who couldn't stay. Only a few people remain: mostly elderly who don’t want to leave their homes.
Distributed 300 packages in Saltivka, Kharkiv.
100 special deliveries to 70 children and 30 disabled elderly.
Pavel and Olena’s Team - Touch of Heart and Dawn of Hope
1795 families received aid from the Mykolaiv office.
8 tons of vegetables delivered to Prybuzke.
Continued to hold events for children. 480 children took part in Christmas celebrations and received a gift from the team. The team traveled to Kvitneve, Partyzanske, Kobzartsi, Afanasiivka, Luch and Prybuzke.
Delivered and installed 19 potbelly stoves at Afansiivka.
Andriy’s Team – BF Pomahaem
301 people received aid at Dnipro warehouse.
3 roofs completed in Chernihiv region.
Andriy’s team continues to spend most of its efforts on its joint projects with larger international aid organizations, making 11 trips to Donbas and Dnipro region towns.
Marina’s Team – Good Give Ukraine
98 elderly people and people with disabilities in Piatykhatky got aid.
Sent 26 packages to people in need all across Ukraine.
Marina's team traveled to Izyum to deliver aid bought with funds raised at Christmas Charity fair last week.
Dina’s Team -- Vilni Liudy – Vilna Krayina (“Free People - Free Country”)
Distributed 900 packages this week.
Mailed 100 packages.
Sergey T delivered 200 packages of aid and 600 treats for children to the towns of Zavody, Velika Komishuvakha, Dovgenke in the Donetsk region.
Yulia fulfilled gift wishes for 56 displaced children in Kremenchuk.
Bogdan’s Team - Vse robymo sami
46 families got food and hygiene packages in Zhytomyr.
100 children visited Zhytomyr theater to see kids interactive play "Journey with the Dragon" and got Christmas presents after the show.
Anastasia’s Team - LoveUA
Delivered 300 packages to Lymanets, Kherson region.
Alena’s Team – Virgo
Delivered 22 tons of vegetables to 490 households in Kotliarove.
How to Help
Donate - The money goes directly to teams providing aid on the ground, who respond dynamically to the most urgent needs.
Fundraise - Organize fundraisers at your school, work, place of worship, with friends and family, etc.
Spread the word - Share our website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Fill out this form if you’re interested in volunteering with us, and we’ll let you know when opportunities come up.
Download and print our flyer. Ask your local coffee shop if you can add it to the bulletin, or use it as part of your fundraiser.