November 14th, 2024
65,697 people evacuated from danger to date
117 people evacuated from danger this week
43 trips into deoccupied and frontline territories this week
We are excited to share that we’re hosting our first 2024 webinar to open the season of giving this Sunday, November 17th, 2024 at 9am CT. We will share our unique perspective on the situation in Ukraine, discuss our strategy, and tell stories about the work of Ukrainian volunteers. Please fill out this short RSVP; we will send a link for the webinar prior to Sunday.
Stories
Natalia, a young mother from Kurakhove, and her four-year-old son Kiryusha spent almost a month in the basement of their bombed-out building, their days blurring together in a haze of fear and uncertainty. Kiryusha missed his toys and was unable to understand why they couldn’t go outside; he often asked when they could return home. Natalia, doing her best to comfort him, promised him a "train of adventures" that would take them to a place where there would be light and peace again.
When their food and water ran out, and their neighbor stopped coming, they were desperate. A young man eventually found them, and with explosions echoing nearby, they were evacuated to Dnipro. On the journey, Kiryusha excitedly pointed out the city sights, but Natalia, lost in her thoughts, could only see the devastation of Kurakhove in her mind, her heart heavy with the trauma they had survived.
Alena visited the village of Alexandrovka in the Stanislav district of Kherson, where locals marked the two-year anniversary of their liberation from Russian occupation. However, there was little to celebrate, as the village remained without gas, electricity, or heating due to the destruction of the power substation and damage to gas pipelines. Despite the hardship, the locals refuse to live under occupation, saying, "We wouldn't be here if they were still here."
To support them, the team distributed 250 hygiene kits, 50 bottles of liquid laundry detergent, 250 loaves of bread, clothing, shoes, baby food, and 11 generators, provided by the Be an Angel Foundation. Meanwhile, drones continue to target cars and residents, though the team was fortunate to have wind on the day of their visit.
The situation is dire in nearby Stanislav, where people are effectively trapped in their homes by constant drone surveillance and shelling. Every day, people die—such as a man and his partner who were struck by drones while attempting to evacuate cows. Firefighters and emergency services can't operate, and the area is heavily mined, preventing any repair work. Access to Stanislav is only possible in the morning, when drones with night-vision cameras have stopped flying and most are still asleep, but the risk of landmines remains.
Help in the Occupied Territories
170 families helped in the occupied towns of Ukraine.
Kharkiv Bombings
Kharkiv is going through some of the darkest times of this war. A number of enemy glide bombs have dropped in random residential areas in the city center destroying historic buildings and killing innocent civilians. Our volunteer Darya’s basement bar was damaged in the recent attack when an explosion wave going through the ground damaged sewage and water pipes in her building, causing her to focus on these repairs last week. Other Kharkiv teams also were forced to shelter in place waiting for an opportunity to travel to provide aid.
People behind the Bullet Points
Olekasndr Kulik is the sole provider, caring for two children. He is a technician for one of the local Internet providers. A seemingly routine job reconfiguring cable boxes above ground has become extremely risky in Nikopol, with drones passing overhead. Oleksandr has previously lost vehicles to shelling while being suspended above ground, but the need to support his family forces him to stay strong.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra sprava (Good Deeds)
16 trips with 114 people evacuated from the Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, and Lyman directions.
Inna’s Team – Krok z nadiyeyu (Step with Hope)
23 tons of aid delivered to 9,000 people.
6,600 people received bread.
Aid reached 35 villages and towns, including 6 Donbas cities, Kherson, Nikopol, Izyum and Balakliya - all liberated, high risk areas
128.8 tons of firewood delivered to Zolochev, and IDPs in 2 towns near Dnipro (Novomoskovsk, Synelnykove).
Kherson operations:
14 equipment maintenance tasks;
Disinfected 6 buildings;
Provided targeted aid to 10 families and individuals;
Continue to support 11 people in the ghost city of Pokrovsk.
Continued water distribution in Nikopol and Marhanets.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Vitaliy Z traveled to frontline Berestok delivering 300 family packages weighing 3.5 tons.
Vitaliy Z also brought 4 truckloads of fuel briquettes weighing over 90 tons to Kramatorsk area, providing ~ 0.3 tons for each of the 300 households that qualified for this aid.
2 tons of aid were delivered to Pokrovsk, on the way back Vitaliy Z evacuated 3 people and their 6 pets to Kharkiv.
Oleksandr S:
1.2 tons of aid delivered to Krasnopillya near Sumy
130 low-income families received aid in Boyarka Kyiv region
Vladislav K delivered 14 tons of water delivered to Kherson and 35 to Mykolaiv
More than 1000 people were fed by Sandra’s team in Odesa
100 kg of aid delivered to a hospital in Turbovo near Vinnytsia
3 tons of food and 70 boxes of toys were delivered to WeCare Centers within Ukraine from Sczecin, Poland.
Pavlo B helped 180 people in Horihova, Rizdvianka and other villages near Zaporizhzhya.
Oleksandr D in Lutsk working day and night on the logistics for fuel briquettes delivery, implementing contingency plans for any supply disruptions.
GO Zirka Nadii - Oleksandr Z - held a number of art therapy classes for IDP children helping a total of 660 children last week.
Karina’s Team – My ryatuyemo Ukrayinu (We Save Ukraine)
14 packages distributed in Nikopol.
152 people in the shelter.
Covering blown out windows in a vocational school in Dnipro.
Tetiana’s Team — Dopomoha poruch (Help Is Near)
Distributed 70 aid packages to old and vulnerable population in Smila via the department of social services.
Natasha’s Team – Volontersʹkyy tsentr Vyshnya (Cherry Volunteer Center)
Despite attacks on Kryvyi Rih, Tetiana prepped over the weekend for her trip on Monday that we will describe in next week’s newsletter.
Timur’s Team — Komanda Teymura Alyeva (Timur Alyev’s Team)
The team distributed aid packages to 319 people in Saltivka Kharkiv .
Special deliveries to 46 disabled elderly and 18 families with babies.
Pavel and Olena’s Teams — Dotyk sertsya (Touch of Heart) & Svitanok mriy (Dawn of Dreams)
Provided food packages to 298 families in Myrne, Lubomyrivka and Luch.
Began large scale vegetable distributions for the winter. 170 families received ~100 pounds of vegetables in Myrne and Lubomyrivka.
310 families received 110 tons of firewood in Kysylivka, Kvitneve, Opanasivka, Zasillia.
Pomahaem Foundation (We Help Foundation)
425 families received aid in villages near Zaporizhzhya and Pavlivka.
24 tons of water delivered to Nikopol.
Record 485 people vetted for cash aid grants from IRC, GFFO and Danida.
Marina’s Team — Daruy dobro Ukrayina (Give Good Ukraine)
150 food and hygiene packages were distributed to internally displaced individuals in Zhovti Vody.
Dina’s Team — Vilʹni lyudy, vilʹna krayina (Free People, Free Country)
400 packages distributed in Kremenchuk, Poltava, Kanev, and 100 more mailed from Dnipro.
Bohdan’s Team — Vse robymo sami (We Do Everything Ourselves)
43 families in Zhytomyr received food and hygiene kits.
Donated medications were provided to the Zhytomyr Regional Clinical Hospital.
At the Children's Club for Disabilities, children participated in cooking lessons (learning to make roast beef), took part in psychology-based relief games, and went on a field trip to the theater and concert.
The facade renovation at the Inclusive Children's Center "House of Joy" has been completed.
Alena’s Team – Diva (Virgo)
Delivered to Oleksandrivka 250 hygiene kits, 50 bottles of liquid laundry detergent, 250 loaves of bread, Clothing, Shoes, Baby food.
Delivered 11 generators (provided by the Be an Angel Foundation).
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.