On October 12, an accomplished, effective and respected institution in our midst celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding with a special reception and program in Philadelphia. It also marked 75 years of its impressive activity in helping Ukrainians worldwide. The United Ukrainian American Relief Committee traces its beginnings to the Second Congress of Americans of Ukrainian Descent, i.e., the convention of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America that took place on January 22, 1944, when a resolution was passed calling for the establishment of a Ukrainian war relief committee. Three fraternal organizations, the Ukrainian National Association, the Providence Association of Ukrainian Catholics and the Ukrainian National Aid Association, were behind the idea of creating a separate non-political humanitarian aid organization to assist Ukrainian refugees.
A conference in New York City on June 20, 1944, acted on that resolution, establishing the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC) and electing Dr. Walter Gallan, a well-known community leader and a UNA supreme auditor, as its chairman. As UUARC President Dr. Laryssa Kyj noted in an article published in this newspaper earlier this year, “…the UUARC started fulfilling its mission of extending a helping hand ‘brother-to-brother’ by assisting Ukrainians in refugee camps during and after World War II, and then helping to resettle more than 70,000 refugees in the United States.”
Since then, of course, the UUARC’s programs were constantly adapted and changed “to meet the new needs of Ukrainians in Europe and South America,” Dr. Kyj pointed out. The UUARC has aided Ukrainians in need in this country as well, including victims of flooding in Texas and Pennsylvania; and it runs an information bureau for newly arrived immigrants. Since Ukraine re-established its independence in 1991, the organization has provided continuous and multifaceted assistance to the people of Ukraine.
Among the recipients of the UUARC’s aid to Ukraine in recent years have been children and orphans, victims of natural disasters, the elderly and infirm, and veterans and wounded warriors of the ongoing war being waged by Russia. Thanks to the generosity of donors, this 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization has also spent funds on rehabilitation of Ukraine’s soldiers, including physical therapy and treatment for PTSD. Readers may recall a recent story about one of the unique programs sponsored by the UUARC, an annual contest called “Going from Childhood to Taras” that aims to foster patriotism and identity among the youth of Ukraine through the study of works by Taras Shevchenko.
All these good works were done in keeping with the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee’s mission of “enhancing the quality of life of Ukrainian communities and individuals throughout the world” and thanks to the selfless efforts of numerous dedicated volunteers. We salute the UUARC, its leaders and activists, and extend our congratulations on this milestone anniversary. Mnohaya lita!