Freezing temperatures in the northern half of Ukraine begin as early as October and last through April. With many residential buildings having no glass in the windows from shelling, and many basements that people use for sheltering not being heated – having warm clothes and plenty of blankets was already crucial for Ukrainians in the war zones. With the infrastructure being bombed every day in the Fall 2022, Ukraine lost 40% of its power and people’s chances of coping with cold winter became even grimmer.

Our amazing volunteers organized a winter essentials drive in the American SouthWest. People donated warm clothes and boots, blankets, sleeping bags and other items that our volunteers collected, sorted and packed into 208 large boxed, with a total weight of 8,780 lb! We also raised over $7K to cover the cost of shipping all that to Ukraine. With this effort the winter in Ukraine will feel warmer for many people.