NEW YORK – For the second consecutive year, the Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) in the United States, in conjunction with the worldwide governing body of the organization, were the “angels” that St. Nicholas relied upon to bring joy to children in Ukraine under the auspices of a humanitarian project called “Warming Hearts with Warmth.”
The goal of this project was to unite Ukrainian youth throughout the world in good deed for others, in this case for children whose parents may currently be on the battlefront or may have already given their greatest sacrifice for their country – their life. Young refugees from the war-torn east of Ukraine were also designated recipients of the gifts.
The “Warming Hearts with Warmth – 2015” campaign included Ukrainian Youth Association members from the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Belgium and Great Britain. From the United States alone there was 100 percent participation from each of the 18 active UAYA branches in the country. Additionally, several church communities where there are no active UAYA groups but where individual UAYA members reside joined in the campaign.
Participants in “Warming Hearts with Warmth – 2015” were successful in sending over 1,500 gifts to contacts in Ukraine, nearly 550 of which came from U.S.-based UAYA centers, which then disseminated them to overjoyed children in Ukraine. Specifically, the Ukrainian Youth Association in Ukraine has active centers in Kalush, Lviv, Ternopil, Khmelnytsky, Chernihiv, Skvyra, Bobrynets, Dnipro-petrovsk and Kyiv.
This project extends an opportunity for these children in Ukraine to feel the love, generosity and caring of others. Many of them and their extended family with whom they are currently residing were very moved to know they had not been forgotten. For those who participated in collecting and sending the gifts, the opportunity to think beyond their own immediate problems and needs, to help and show love for their neighbors in need was a priceless lesson. It was the Ukrainian American Youth Association’s greatest hope and joy that these acts of kindness would warm the hearts of children in Ukraine with the love and warmth that went into each and every gift sent to them.