For the latest news and updates on our work in Ukraine, visit our blog

November 2023

While the scale of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine is declining, our team continues to provide crucial support to those in dire need, especially in hard-to-reach and de-occupied territories.

During the trip to the Kamyshany and Znamyanka villages, our hearts were deeply moved witnessing the plight of over 200 children and families, grappling with the approaching harsh winter due to widespread unemployment and a lack of fundamental resources such as gas, shops, pharmacies, and hospitals. Despite the harsh circumstances, our team felt the incredible strength and optimism of the people. We are committed to standing by them and continuing our efforts, delivering vital medical supplies, food, toys, and clothing.

In the Lyubomyrivka village, not only did our team deliver humanitarian aid, but they also took the initiative to refurbish a portion of a house for a family of five that tragically lost everything during the war. Now, they have a place to stay and a ray of hope to endure this challenging winter. The heartfelt gratitude from the residents resonates deeply with us. Their sincere appreciation for the continuous support we offer acts as a lifeline, enabling them to weather the storm and cling onto hope.

In addition to these villages, our team also made several trips to villages like Prybuzke, Kvitneve, and Partizanske. During these missions, we successfully distributed more than six tons of humanitarian aid. This encompassed a wide range of necessities including food, drinking water, hygiene supplies, and fresh vegetables. Our commitment to reaching and assisting these diverse communities remains unwavering as we strive to provide vital resources where they are most needed.

In Odesa, our team has distributed food kits to over 150 families. These included internally displaced persons (IDPs) with little children, large families, individuals with disabilities, and those bravely battling cancer. These families, in the face of adversity, have relied on our support for sustenance and hope.

In Mykolaiv, our team has distributed food kits to over 3,000 people at our Children and Family Support Office, while continuing to provide English lessons to local kids and emotional and psychological support to families there.

Pathway to Success Program and Support of Kids

In November, Our team held a financial literacy training for the kids in our Pathway to Success program. They invited a financial coach from our partner organization, New Community, to teach 19 youths the basics of financial independence, the benefits and risks of loans, and effective ways to get financial stability. To cultivate practical application of their knowledge, the youths were divided into teams to conceptualize and develop their unique business projects, such as coffee shops and restaurants. Through this hands-on experience, they gained invaluable insights into the intricate processes of planning, problem-solving, and navigating financial challenges.

Our team also organized an event called “A Journey to the World of Hospitality.” Twelve kids from our program visited Hilton Kyiv and learned about the work of different hospitality departments and motivational stories from the Hilton team. Under the guidance of Hilton employees, they had the opportunity to immerse themselves in different professions of the hospitality industry. Our youths were very grateful to the Hilton team for providing this valuable experience for them to discover and refine their career aspirations.

Lastly, on Nov 18th, our team held a “Self-Presentation Training” session featuring Svitlana Chernychuk, a distinguished psychologist and professional coach. 15 youths and seven mentors participated. This session aims to equip the youths with essential skills such as building self-confidence and effective communication strategies to ensure their voices are heard and respected. Svitlana introduced impactful techniques like the ‘Diamond' method and ‘I want, I can, I will,' empowering these teens to envision success, embrace confidence, and affirm their potential for achievement. The session emphasized the importance of setting goals without fear and fostering a belief in their own capabilities.

Our ability to continue our life-changing work in Ukraine hinges greatly on the support we receive from compassionate individuals like you. Donate today and be a part of this impactful journey!

Humanitarian Aid Efforts

Our team in Ukraine provides humanitarian aid support across Ukraine. Our team continues packaging and transporting grocery sets and food kits to families through our Children and Family Support Center in Mykolaiv. They have provided food to over 5,000 people this month.

Our team also traveled to several villages and delivered 2.12 tons of water, 1.5 tons of clothes, 300 kg of apples, and 1 ton of potatoes donated to us.

Recently, a new strain of COVID-19 has been going around Ukraine, but our team is doing their best to continue providing humanitarian aid while remaining healthy and safe.

Pathway to Success Program and Support for Kids

In addition to providing food and clothing to families, the Children and Family Support Center in Mykolaiv offers trauma-informed psychological support for children and families, arts and crafts for kids, and recently in October, English classes.

Our Corporate Mentoring program, Pathway to Success, continues to help older kids aging out of institutional care successfully transition into adulthood in Ukraine by providing career-readiness training and mentorship. Recently, our team held a financial literacy training session for the youths in the program to help them understand basic financial planning. The youths created amazing business plans for their dream cafes and shared how they see their futures in ten years.

Fifteen youths from the Pathway to Success Program traveled with our team to the Kidsave Miracles Center for two weeks to tour the construction site, learn about Kidsave’s programs, and participate in team-building exercises. When the construction is finished, the Kidsave Miracles Center will be used to provide safe refuge, help train social workers and staff, facilitate our programs, provide a connection space for children and families, and provide trauma-informed therapy and counseling services.

Support our work in Ukraine today at www.kidsave.org/ukraine !

September 19, 2023

The Kidsave Miracles Center

September has been an exciting month for our team in Ukraine! Kidsave CEO, Randi Thompson and Kidsave VP Tatiana Stafford recently spent a week traveling across Poland and Ukraine to spend time with our Ukrainian team, meet with supporters, and see the progress being made on the Kidsave Miracles Center. The team was all smiles as they proudly gave Randi a tour!

In addition to working on the Kidsave Miracles Center, our team has been busy at work providing humanitarian aid support to those in need.

Humanitarian Aid

On September 11, our volunteers from Odesa visited several villages to provide aid. The team delivered food kits, clean drinking water, medicines, and hygiene supplies to local families, many of whom have disabled children or are caring for bedridden family members. Our team also delivered pet food to one village that has many dogs and cats who are starving.

One of our volunteers, Christopher, was also able to source very important medical supplies for dialysis patients from European donors and deliver it to the local hospital and palliative care center.

On September 14, our volunteers brought food packages, sanitary and hygiene supplies, clothes and shoes to over 70 kids in foster and adoptive families in the Kharkiv region. They have made over 15 trips like this since December 2022, and each time, their arrival brings great joy to both the children and parents! They delivered supplies to each family, so they were able to assess the children’s living conditions. The parents are always eager to communicate as they know our love for children and the desire to help them through these difficult times. Because of the war, prices in stores have skyrocketed and many people have lost their jobs. Our team is trying our best to support these children and families.

Over the last week, our team has packed and transported food packages to the Mykolaiv Children and Family Support Center, helping over 2,170 children. They also made a trip to Kobzartsy and Novopavlovskoye villages to deliver a ton of clean drinking water, blankets, pillows, and bedding for families whose homes have been damaged.

Our team also had the joy of delivering 240 pairs of shoes, 200 pairs of jeans, and backpacks filled with school supplies to children in the Afanasiivka and Yuriivka villages.

As of September 18, 2023, our team has delivered 2089 tons of humanitarian aid.

Corporate Mentoring

On September 15-16, the Ukrainian Mentoring Association (an organization co-founded by Kidsave) held a conference on “The Role of NGOs in the Child Protection System.” This event was organized by our partners and friends, the “BEST FUTURE” Charity Foundation.

The conference was attended by over 70 volunteers and organizations from 12 regions that have been making every effort to ensure that children in Ukraine do not end up in orphanages or institutions but live in families or have mentors who could help them become independent and successful members of society. In the conference, Pavlo and Olena Shulga and Tetiana Koval of Kidsave spoke about the real situation of children in institutional care in Ukraine, the importance of establishing and building communication with the public sector and how to do it professionally, and shared effective tools for both preventive measures and resolving the situation.

Your continued support makes all of this work possible! Please continue to give at kidsave.org/ukraine/.

September 2023

During the week of August 21-27, our team delivered humanitarian aid across Ukraine. They packed and distributed food packages through the Family Support Center in Mykolaiv for 1,483 people; delivered thermometers and hygienic gloves to the local hospital; brought water, hygiene supplies, equipment, and other life necessities to multiple distant villages; delivered 300 food packages and boxes with clothes to Kharkiv and internally displaced persons in Odesa.

A group of our volunteers also took 14 children to Telegulsky estuary for recreation, where they enjoyed a day of playing games, swimming, and riding on a paddleboat.

The tireless work has continued in the following weeks. Over the last few weeks, our team has packaged and distributed food kits in for 1,313 people, and continued to deliver water, food, clothes, hygiene products, and other necessary supplies to Mykolaiv and several remote villages.

Last week, they packed and distributed 128 food kits in Odesa, where they provide monthly support to internally displaced persons, families with children, elderly and disabled people to help them survive during difficult times.

While driving on the road to deliver humanitarian aid to Kalinove, Parnuvatei Yasinuvate, Pidvysoke and Myrne in Kharkiv, our team could hear the sounds of artillery fire. There are no stores in the villages and the roads are badly damaged due to the war. Despite living under such severe circumstances, the villagers welcomed our team with smiles of joy and the warmest hugs. Our team has been supporting them since they were de-occupied in January 2023, and they are incredibly grateful for the care and support our team provides to them.

You can support this lifesaving work! Please give today at kidsave.org/donate/ .

August 14, 2023

Kidsave’s Corporate Mentoring program in Ukraine, Pathway to Success, recently celebrated its 5-year anniversary! The Pathway to Success program helps older kids and teens growing up in institutional care access mentorship and career-readiness training and gain essential life skills to help them successfully transition into independent living. To celebrate the 5th anniversary of the program, the Mentoring Association hosted a picnic with over 70 children, youth, mentors, business partners, and volunteers in attendance.

They played games and enjoyed popcorn, barbecue, and homemade tortillas. In addition to offering lots of fun and laughter, the event created a platform for the kids in the mentoring program to open up and share their stories. There was even a successful “mentor-mentee” match made! The event was all planned and organized by the youth in the Pathway to Success program alumni club, and our team is so proud of each of the kids, their confidence and their sense of responsibility.

The team also took 14 children from the Balvone village on a field trip where they went swimming, played games, and enjoyed a picnic. We feel it is essential for our team to provide emotional support to not only the kids in our programs but other local children by hosting fun, safe events during an otherwise stressful and uncertain time in Ukraine.

In addition to the mentoring association celebration, over the past week our team packed and distributed 1,420 food packages through the Family Support Center in Mykolaiv. Another group of our team transported humanitarian aid from the Polish border, delivering essentials like water, hygiene products, gardening tools and supplies to grow food, and toys for children to a number of villages across Ukraine. They brought three tanks of drinking water to Kobzartsi village, addressing a critical need for the local residents. In the Pidvysoke village, they delivered 127 food kits to support local families, and in the Myrne village, they delivered 21 food kits and about 20 boxes of clothes.

Many of these villages are extremely remote, and the damage done over the course of the war has destroyed their infrastructure. Our team is one of the only groups that continues to deliver humanitarian aid to these remote areas, and the people there are incredibly grateful that our team delivers the essential resources they so desperately need. It is heartbreaking that many families in these villages are living in destroyed houses. Our volunteers hope to help these people survive in such difficult times and recover from the horrors they experienced during the occupation.

Among those we've helped one woman named Lyakhova Olga, an internally displaced person (IDP) from Zaliznyi Port, has survived much shelling, and abuse from the occupation. She’s living in a rented apartment with her seven-year-old son, Vanya. While challenges persist, including finding work and dealing with past traumas, Olga and Vanya are immensely appreciative of the support our team has provided.

August 1, 2023

After the extensive damage done in Mykolaiv on July 19-20, our team of volunteers continues to work to repair our Children and Family Support Center. Because of their hard work and dedication, children and families can now return to the Support Center to receive psychological support, play-and-heal therapy for the children, food kits, and supplies.

Over the last week, our Children and Family Support Center team packed and distributed food kits for 1,411 people in desperate need of resources. Many of these families are refugees from Kherson, and there were several large family groups and mothers with infants and newborns.

Our volunteers also organized a trip for a group of children to the Telegulsky estuary, where they could swim, play, and laugh. For many of these children, it was the first time they could go outside Mykolaiv and play since the war began in February 2022.

Our team continues to deliver humanitarian aid and resources to many remote villages without water and electricity. They delivered three tanks of clean drinking water to Kobzartsy and Pavlo-Maryanivka and tools and supplies to help rebuild the Prybuzke village.

Thousands of children and families rely on our team in Ukraine for lifesaving support! Please give at www.kidsave.org/ukraine/ today!

July 25, 2023

On July 19, a missile attack in Mykolaiv left 19 people injured and killed. Thankfully, no one from our team was injured, but many buildings were destroyed and damaged, including our Family Support Center. The Children and Family Support Center is a joint effort with our partner organizations Sunrise of Dreams and Touch of the Heart. It provides psychological support for families and “play-and-heal” activities for the kids and distributes supplies and aid. Our team immediately began making repairs to the center, so the children and families who rely on its support can soon return and get the help they need.

In addition to repairing the Mykolaiv center, our volunteers visited six villages in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions to deliver humanitarian aid and medical assistance.

During their trip, they provided medical supplies to 78 people, clothes to 123 people, food kits to 70 families, cleaning supplies to 70 families, and building materials to 5 families.

The Angels of Hope team received a request from a remote village that has suffered tremendously from air raids. Many of the homes, the school, the church, and the water towers were all significantly damaged. By the time our team arrived, two of the water towers had been restored, but the water was not clean enough to be used for drinking and cooking, which is a huge health risk for the elderly and children in the village. Our team helped them by providing water tanks of clean drinking water and water purifying equipment.

Our team also provided help to people in Vasylivka who suffered from flooding after the Kakhovka dam explosion. The lasting impact of the massive flooding has been devastating, leaving homes and gardens damaged or washed away and livestock injured or sick. The village has no drinking water, gas, or electricity yet. Our team brought them food kits, diapers, clothes, and water purification equipment to help sustain them while further repairs are being made.

All across Ukraine, children and families are suffering under these extreme conditions because of the ongoing war. Our team—our Angels of Hope—risk their health and safety every day as they work tirelessly to help as many people as they can.

We need your support to keep up this lifesaving work! Please give at www.kidsave.org/ukraine/

July 10, 2023

As anticipated, the summer months have brought an increase in air raids and attacks across Ukraine. Homes, schools, entire communities have been left in rubble. And although the floodwaters from the recent Kakhovka dam explosion have begun to recede, the lasting impact of the major flooding is still being felt. Thousands of people are displaced with nowhere to go, and thousands more are continuing to live in their damaged homes with broken windows, damaged roofs, and no water or electricity.

Our team on the ground—the Angels of Hope—have been busy delivering supplies and humanitarian aid and helping those who are willing and able to evacuate to get out safely. Over the last two weeks, our team has been distributing food kits, clean drinking water, clothing, diapers, toys, and tools to the Odessa, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions. Additionally, our team was able to provide a wheelchair for a woman who recently lost both of her legs, and she was incredibly grateful.

For those who are willing and able to evacuate, our team provides rescue and transportation to safety in eastern Ukraine and neighboring countries. Recently, the team evacuated a family of five—the family of one of our own Angels of Hope volunteers. The child of our volunteer was diagnosed with cancer, and the family had to evacuate to seek medical care. Our team helped them evacuate, taking them all the way to Germany to a refugee center. The family is safe now and will be able to receive free medical care for their child.

Our team also helped evacuate sixty mothers with children from Melitopol. The team transported them to refuge in Vinnytsia where they can receive care and rehabilitation.

Since the beginning of the war, our team has rescued 30,182 people, including 13,742 children, and delivered nearly 2,000 tons—or 4 million pounds—of humanitarian aid.

While this lifesaving work is extremely important, our team remains committed to Kidsave’s core mission of helping children in need find loving forever families. Construction continues on the Kidsave Miracles Center in western Ukraine, and, in cooperation with our partner organization Sunrise of Dreams, our team operates a family support office in Mykolaiv. Recently, our team organized a painting activity at the office with local children in Mykolaiv where they learned about the story of Flat Sasha and painted their own Flat Sashas however they wanted. Then, during the first week of July, the team hosted a children's day event at the office with lots of games, treats, and fun for children and families.

The life-changing work we are doing in Ukraine would not be possible without the continued support of our community! Please continue to support our team in Ukraine by giving at www.kidsave.org/ukraine/.

June 23, 2023

The last week has been busy for our team in Ukraine. They are still working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid to the regions that have been flooded since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

Our team on the ground has helped more than 4,500 people in the Kherson, Afanasivka, Vasylivka and Mykolaiv regions, delivering food supplies, barrels of clean drinking water, power banks, generators, and motor pumps. They are driving trucks full of supplies, loading and unloading materials, and delivering them to those in need. They have had to use inflatable boats to cross the river and get supplies to those stranded by the flooding.

Our team truly puts their best efforts into helping the people! Everywhere they’ve gone recently, there have been many people waiting in lines for supplies, carrying water barrels, trying to get the resources they desperately needed. They are all very thankful for our help.

In addition to our ongoing humanitarian work in response to the flooding, our team continues to deliver food and supplies to those internally displaced by the war. Last week, our team visited a geriatric nursing home and 3 boarding schools where they delivered 6 tons of donated food!

This life-changing work wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of our community! Please continue to support our team in Ukraine by giving at www.kidsave.org/ukraine/.

June 12, 2023

A recent attack on the Kakhovka dam has caused major flooding in eastern Ukraine.

Our team has been on the ground in Kherson for several days helping with the evacuation and distributing food, drinking water, and other important resources. There were many people sitting on the roofs of buildings waiting to be rescued from the occupied territory, but constant shelling from the Russian side made it incredibly difficult for them to evacuate.

Our team has been helping rescue people who are being delivered to the evacuation point by the Ukrainian military on boats. Recently, our team helped evacuate two elderly women; one of them was 84 years old and could hardly walk on her own. Our team also provided food and water to the Ukrainian military, who in turn were able to help transport them into more dangerous areas to help the people there.

As our team was providing aid to those who had been rescued, there was an air raid targeted directly at where civilians, representatives of the press, volunteers, and our team were gathered. Thankfully, everyone was all right as they quickly took cover, but the danger is still constant. Our team is doing everything they can to ensure the safety of the people and get them the resources they so desperately need.

The greatest need right now is for clean drinking water as the flooding has contaminated much of eastern Ukraine’s water supply. Our team is working to bring in gallons of water from neighboring regions, but it is difficult to find and very expensive.

We need your support! Donate to the Disaster Fund here.

June 1, 2023

Despite the immense challenges they face every day, our dedicated team came together to throw an all-day celebration for International Children's Day in Ukraine. The team hosted three separate events in Mykolaiv, Prybuzke village, and Zelenyi Hai village, bringing food, fun, and joy to over 270 children! ⁠

Teens and mentors from our Pathway to Success program came to volunteer and celebrate with the children and families.

One of our most active participants and current President of the Mentoring Association Leadership Club, Vova Dorodko, said this about the day:

“It is hard to express all the emotions we felt at yesterday's celebration with words. I am thrilled that we were able to create such an atmosphere and bring the same joyful spirit as in peaceful times for the children. I want to thank all of my colleagues and volunteers who put their hearts into it and did everything possible to ensure that every child left our event with gifts and filled with joy and happiness. Despite the challenges, we succeeded in organizing a true holiday that the children deserve. Every child deserves to be happy and have a loving family. Our team will do everything in our power to help every child have a mother and father and grow up in a family.”
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This celebration was a huge effort and would not have been possible without the help of Kidsave's Angels of Hope team, our partner Sunrise of Dreams in Mykolaiv, the young adults and mentors from our Pathway to Success program, and our dedicated sponsors at Boeing and KFC.

Your support makes our work possible. Please give today to support orphans and children in Ukraine!

May 23, 2023

Attacks and air raids have been nearly constant over the last week across Ukraine.⁠ Recently, Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive shelling of Kyiv with drones. This was the 11th air attack on the capital since the beginning of May.

Many of the missiles were shot down by Ukrainian forces, but as a result of the fall of debris in the Dnipropetrovsk district of Kyiv, a residential building caught fire. Several teens and young adults from our Corporate Mentoring program were in the region where the fire started and rushed to help.

Volodymyr, a Corporate Mentoring alum and longtime Kidsave volunteer, sent the following report on the fire:

“We were putting out the fire with fire extinguishers and with water carried in buckets, we used everything we could. People were very scared and therefore could not do anything. We climbed onto the roof, where we saw the debris of the downed [missile]. We were trying to put out the fire and did everything we could until the firemen arrived.

Many people were rescued. Everyone was evacuated by stairs, because there was no power, and it was not possible to use the elevator. Rostik and Petya helped people evacuate children and carry things downstairs to the shelter.

When we started putting out the fire, we heard screams. The woman screamed very loudly. She shouted that she could not open the door. We started breaking down the door. One man brought a crowbar and we managed to open the door. There was also a four-year-old child in the apartment with the woman. Both were very scared and cried. Their apartment was full of smoke. We put a blanket over the child, the other man helped the woman, we took them outside and carried out their things. After that I ran back upstairs to put out the fire…I climbed almost under the roof, where everything was on fire, and we extinguished it there, until the firemen arrived and began to pour water on the roof.”

Thanks to the heroic efforts of our young people, other locals, and the Ukrainian servicemen, the fire was extinguished with no casualties. We are so proud of Volodymyr and the others for selflessly springing into action, and we are so thankful everyone is safe.

Emergencies like this are a constant in Ukraine, with millions impacted daily. Our team is doing everything we can to provide emergency humanitarian aid and support while remaining committed to our core work of finding loving forever families for orphans and providing mentorship and support to teens transitioning out of institutional care. Please consider supporting our life-saving work in Ukraine today.

May 1, 2023

While we are looking forward to summer in the U.S., the warmer months mean something darker for the people of Ukraine. Analysts warn that summer will likely bring a resurgence in hostilities from Russia, as evidenced by the recent attack on Mykolaiv. Despite the continued danger, many Ukrainians who evacuated at the start of the invasion are now returning home to begin rebuilding their homes, communities, and lives.

In December, in addition to our ongoing humanitarian aid, Kidsave began providing home repair kits, lumber, and tools to help civilians start over. Over the last five months, our team has helped Ukraine by delivering over 210 tons of construction materials, 16 truckloads of lumber, and 100 rolls of film for waterproofing windows and roofs. We have provided these materials to over 500 households, helping nearly 2,000 people begin to rebuild their homes. Our team has also provided over 5,000 seed kits with seeds for carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbages, pumpkins, corn, onions, and dill, to create full gardens for families and communities.

As families move back into Ukraine, it is critical that the safety of the children—especially those orphaned or deprived of parental care—be kept as a top priority.

Visit our blog post to read more from Kidsave's CEO on our commitment to Ukraine and our plans to help rebuild.

April 11, 2023

Kidsave’s Angels of Hope continue to help meet the immediate humanitarian needs within Ukraine. After more than a year of war, many Ukrainians who evacuated in 2022 have returned to their homes, creating an even greater need for food and economic assistance within Ukraine. Kidsave has begun providing agricultural assistance to help local Ukrainian communities develop gardens and plant crops for the summer. Over the last two weeks, the Angels of Hope have sourced and delivered over 22 tons of seed potatoes to 744 families, across 6 villages in the Mykolaiv region. The team also provided food to over 5,000 people in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

Kidsave Ukraine team leader, Olena Shulha, has also been working with a support center for those who are homeless, have disabilities, or are in recovery. This support center has a great need for wheelchairs, and over the last week she has sourced and delivered 10 wheelchairs to the center.

Our team is doing everything we can to provide immediate medical and humanitarian aid assistance to those in need as well as infrastructural support so families can return to their homes and villages. Please continue to support this life-changing work! Give today.

April 4, 2023

A Statement from Kidsave CEO Randi Thompson:

It is with a heavy heart that we must mark and mourn the tragic loss of 500 innocent children in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of the country has resulted in widespread violence, displacement, and loss of life, with children being among the most vulnerable and affected.

It is heartbreaking to see so many children caught in the crossfire of this senseless conflict, their futures cut short, their dreams and aspirations shattered. It is even more concerning that the dangers these children face aren’t receiving enough attention.

On this grim milestone, we urge U.S. lawmakers and other leaders in the international community to prioritize the safety and protection of children.

Kidsave’s commitment to the children of Ukraine began long before the war began and will continue long after it ends. Our team in Ukraine continues to get those at risk – including 13,685 children – to safety and to provide meals, necessities and much needed aid to those in need. When this war ends, we will be there to help Ukrainians rebuild.

Let us honor the memory of the children who have lost their lives in this tragic conflict by working together to ensure that every child, everywhere, grows up in a loving supportive family, free from the horrors of war and conflict.

March 16, 2023 

Kidsave’s Angels of Hope have worked tirelessly throughout the crisis in Ukraine, making countless trips across the country to provide food, humanitarian aid, and medical supplies to those affected by the war. Last week, what began like any other humanitarian aid trip to the Mykolaiv region quickly turned into a life-saving mission for our volunteers.  

Kidsave volunteers were providing medical assistance and humanitarian aid to the town of Lubomyrivka when they heard an explosion nearby. A local woman had accidentally triggered a mine while tending to her garden. The woman was badly cut on both legs, and she had wounds from shrapnel on her chest and hands. Luckily, there were medics among those volunteering that day with access to medical equipment and an ambulance.  

Long-time Kidsave volunteer Iryna said, “There was no time to give free rein to our emotions. We stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wounds. Then we got her into the ambulance and headed to Mykolaiv city.”  

Despite challenging road conditions, our team successfully transported the woman to a hospital in Mykolaiv, where she was treated. Because of the damage to her hands, she did lose one of her fingers, but the outcome would have been much worse had our team not been there to spring into action!  

You can support our life-saving work in Ukraine here! 

February 28, 2023

It has been one year since the war in Ukraine began, and with that solemn anniversary comes a mix of emotions for our team. It has been an extremely difficult year for our team and the kids in our programs in Ukraine as they have experienced an unimaginable level of loss—loss of friends and loved ones, homes, schools, workplaces, and normalcy. But the one thing we haven’t lost is hope.

Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we have been able to rescue and evacuate over 30,000 people to safety and deliver over 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid. As the war continues, so does our commitment and we will continue to meet the immediate humanitarian needs in Ukraine while working to rebuild and restore this brave nation.

To everyone who has given to us over the last year, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your support has truly been lifesaving.

Give and learn more about the future of Kidsave Ukraine here.

February 7, 2023 

Over the last two weeks, Kidsave’s Angels of Hope have fed 5,040 people in the Novonikolaevka village and the city of Mykolaiv and provided fresh drinking water and individual water filters to residents in the Myrne and Luch villages. Four tons of food, water, hygiene supplies, diapers, and winter clothing arrived in Mykolaiv, where our team will sort, package, and deliver them to those in need.

Additionally, our team delivered over 21 tons of food to a program that provides ongoing support for internally displaced persons, homeless shelters, hospitals, and schools. The food was then distributed to three hospitals, three boarding schools, and one geriatric boarding house.

Our work at the family support center in Mykolaiv continues, providing psychological support to families and children. So far, 15 children have visited the center, met with specialists, and received mental health counseling, food, and aid.

This effort will be expanded with the construction of the Kidsave Miracles Center, which is progressing rapidly. Yesterday, a group of teens and young adults from our Pathway to Success program arrived at the Center site. They will stay in the area for two weeks, seeing the construction site, assisting in small tasks, and making plans for future projects at the center, from peer projects to social entrepreneurship ideas.

We are so excited to have these young people come together and play a role in the vision of the future of Kidsave Ukraine. But we need your help to ensure the Kidsave Miracles Center reaches its full potential and helps Ukrainians for generations to come! Give today to help make this dream a reality, and contact Bonnie at bonniew@kidsave.org to learn about partnership and sponsorship opportunities.

January 24, 2023 

While Kidsave’s Angels of Hope work to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of Ukraine, our team is also looking to the future and how we can help rebuild and restore Ukraine when peace is achieved. Construction is underway on a Kidsave Miracles Center in western Ukraine, and we have opened a family support center in Mykolaiv at the office of our local partner Sunrise of Dreams. At this family support center, mothers who are internally displaced or experiencing trauma due to the war can receive psycho-emotional support while their children are cared for and entertained with art supplies. The families are also given food assistance and supplies to help sustain them during this difficult time.

The Kidsave Miracles Center will be a safe place where our team will continue finding families for orphans, providing mentoring and support to older youth transitioning out of institutional care, and offering war-trauma therapy and psycho-emotional support services to children and families affected by this terrible conflict. You can help Ukrainian families today by supporting Kidsave!

January 17, 2023

There was a devastating attack on eastern Ukraine this morning.

Despite the constant struggles and life-threatening conditions, our team continues to work tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid and to provide for children and families as they take shelter from the constant air strikes.

Over the last week, our team has been delivering wood-burning stoves and firewood to provide families with much-needed heat and a way to cook food and bottled water, groceries, medicines, and medical supplies. Since the war began, Kidsave’s Angels of Hope have delivered nearly 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid in Ukraine and evacuated over 30,000 people to safety.

We need your support for this life-changing work! Please give today. 

January 10, 2022 

Our team in Ukraine has kicked off the new year in a big way! As of today, our team has officially rescued and evacuated over 30,000 people to safety since the war began. In the last week, our Angels of Hope have also delivered nearly 20 tons of food, over a ton of personal hygiene supplies, 856 packages of baby food, and 21 generators to orphanages and families. These deliveries have been made in the villages of Kolarove, Zasillya, Ternivka, Balovne, Matviivka, and in Mykolaiv city.

Nata Kravchuk of Kidsave Ukraine says, “Our team is working every day. The number of IDPs leaving Kherson has significantly increased. These people have nothing; they need food, warm clothes, hygiene supplies, everything.”

Our team is working hard to continue meeting the great need in Ukraine, but we need your support! Please give today.