DOUBLE EXPOSURE

by Khristina Lew

A Christmas list

This year Manhattan's General Post Office will receive over 200,000 letters addressed to Santa Claus. These letters are wish lists, mostly from needy kids in New York City. Since the 1980s, postal workers have made those letters available to anyone who wants to buy a toy or a pair of shoes for a child who might not otherwise receive any gifts.

A friend of mine, exasperated by the consumerism of the holiday season, told me about this program, called Operation Santa Claus. She has decided to ask family and friends to donate to charity this year instead of buying her Christmas gifts. She asked me if I knew of any Ukrainian charities. This one's for you, Kiki.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of charities that help Ukrainians in Ukraine or support Ukrainian institutions in the diaspora. Whatgoesaround.org, a new website that allows you to register a "give list" as well as make donations to charities on line, lists 75 Ukrainian charities, including the House of Ukraine in San Diego, the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Philadelphia and the American-Ukrainian Evangelical Fellowship in Franklinton, La.

The following is a completely unscientific list of Ukrainian charities, in no particular order. It does not include the many Ukrainian studies programs at colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, educational institutions both here and in Ukraine or political organizations. (Not that they're not worthy - I just don't have room to list them all!)

In addition to the charities below, don't forget your local parish, Ukrainian school, youth organization, and bandura, choir, arts or dance troupe. The Embassy of Ukraine website (www.ukremb.com) lists hundreds of charities under its "Diaspora" link. I'm sure I've missed some worthy causes, so please don't hesitate to contact The Weekly and let us hear about you.

Because Life is Beautiful - A breast cancer awareness program that has raised close to $100,000 towards the purchase of mammography equipment for Ukraine. Contact [email protected] or Selfreliance Ukrainian Federal Credit Union, Public Education International Account No. 101303-000, 2332 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622.

Orphan Aid Society - Sponsors close to 900 orphans in Ukraine from newborn to university age for $15 per month; Maria Jowyk, 129 Ridge Road, Douglaston, NY 11363; (718) 423-4966.

UCARE - Provides aid to children living in orphanages and "internally" (dormitories) in Ukraine; 3704 Fernleigh, Troy, MI 48083; www.ucareinc.org.

Help Us Help The Children - has provided humanitarian aid to more than 30,000 children in 135 orphanages and 15 hospitals in Ukraine. Affiliated with the Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fund; 1555 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Ontario M6P 1A5; (416) 532-2223; http://www.infoukes.com/ucpbf/huhtc.

Ukrainian Gift of Life - brings Ukrainian kids to the United States for open heart surgery; 233 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452; (201) 652-4762, www.ukrainiangiftoflife.com.

Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund - has raised $50 million toward medical equipment and supplies for victims of the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear power plant catastrophe in Ukraine; 272 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078; (973) 376-5140; www.childrenofchornobyl.org.

Caritas - international Catholic relief, development and social service organization with programs in Ukraine, www.caritas.org (click on "Who We Are," then "Our Members").

United Ukrainian American Relief Committee - provides humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians in Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Kazakstan, Brazil and Argentina, as well as in the U.S; 1206 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111; (215) 728-1630; www.uuarc.org.

Ukrainian National Women's League of America - fosters Ukrainian cultural heritage and promotes ties with other women's organizations (there are UNWLA branches across the U.S.). Contact the UNWLA National Headquarters: 203 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003; (212) 533-4646; www.unwla.org.

The Ukrainian Museum - Located in the Ukrainian East Village of New York, the museum is currently completing its new building; 203 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003; (212) 228-0110; www.ukrainianmuseum.org.

Ukrainian Museum-Archives - collects and preserves literature, recordings and artifacts that illuminate Ukrainian history and culture as well as the story of Ukrainian immigration to America, 1202 Kenilworth Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44113; (216) 781-4329; www.umacleveland.org.

Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago - Details heritage, culture and people of Ukraine, 721 North Oakley Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60612; (312) 421-8020; www.ukrntlmuseum.org.

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art - Showcases the work of Chicago artists, as well as sculptors and painters of Ukrainian descent, 2320 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622; (773) 227-5522; www.uima-art.org.

Ukrainian Museum of Canada - Founded by the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada, the museum has branches in Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver; 910 Spadina Crescent, Saskatoon SK S7K 3H5; (306) 244-3800; www.umc.sk.ca.

Ukrainian Institute of America - Promotes Ukrainian art, culture, music and literature, 2 E. 79th Street, New York, NY 10021; (212) 288-8660, www.ukrainianinstitute.org.

UCCA Film Fund - Produces feature films highlighting forgotten pages of Ukraine's history (the newest project is a film about Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky); 203 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003; (212) 228-6840; www.ucca.org.

Soyuzivka - the beloved Ukrainian resort in the Shawangunk Mountains of New York, is in the midst of a fund-raising drive; 216 Foordmore Road, Kerhonkson, NY 12446; (845) 626-5641; www.soyuzivka.com. Donations should be made payable to Ukrainian National Foundation (memo Soyuzivka Renaissance Fund) and sent to: Ukrainian National Association, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054.

And there's the The Ukrainian Weekly Press Fund - Supports the work of The Ukrainian Weekly, its online archives and other Weekly special projects, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; 973-292-9800; www.ukrweekly.com.

Wishing you peace this holiday season.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 21, 2003, No. 51, Vol. LXXI

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