Ukraine Crisis Relief

March 2022 – August 2024
Last updated: March 2024

February 24, 2024, marked two years since the brutal invasion of Ukraine. Two years on and 14.6 million people are still in need of assistance. During this time, All Hands and Hearts (AHAH) has been addressing the unique needs of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) and is committed to supporting these communities in Poland and Western Ukraine.

Find details about volunteering in Ukraine here.

DONATE
Volunteer in Ukraine

Our Work in Ukraine

REGIONAL SUPPORT, MARCH 2022 - PRESENT

Through our partnership with the Ukrainian charitable foundation Save Ukraine, we have impacted more than 112,198 Ukrainians through lifesaving evacuations, providing critical supplies and improving HUB facilities, the first port of call for refugees to access social services during the winter months. We have also built accommodations for 173 displaced families, prioritizing vulnerable populations such as expecting or post-partum people, children with disabilities and elderly family members.

WESTERN UKRAINE, NOVEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

Leveraging our established partnerships, we launched a program in Western Ukraine, where AHAH’s volunteer model could increase the impact and capacity of relief efforts. This program engaged volunteers to distribute non-food items, conduct collective center repairs and coordinate inclusive and accessible engagement activities for IDPs and families in Ukraine.

UZHHOROD, UKRAINE, MARCH - AUGUST 2024

AHAH has identified a city in Western Ukraine to launch a volunteer program. Uzhhorod, within Zakarpatska Oblast, is under significant pressure due to the rapid influx of IDPs who are seeking shelter. Over 113,000 registered IDPs reside in the Oblast region, and many more are expected to flee from conflict zones as the war persists. The city of Uzhhorod, therefore, needs support to provide safe shelter for displaced families and individuals.

All Hands and Hearts will work with Uzhhorod University, which supports IDP intakes. Our team identified two buildings to renovate, including ten rooms to provide living spaces for families. In conjunction with the construction work, we will run various engagement activities, including English and art lessons.

Current Activities in Ukraine

In Velyki Luchky, approximately an hour outside Uzhhorod, our team has been conducting vital repair work for a building with a dedicated hospital on the first floor and IDP housing for 64 individuals on the second and third floors. Repair work has provided essential kitchen renovations consisting of new worktops, upper and lower cupboards and new tables and chairs. These updates will give each floor ample space for families and individuals to cook and eat together in a clean and welcoming environment. Outside of construction work, the team has been conducting various engagement sessions for the community, offering over 50 sessions for English club and art sessions.

Our Work in Poland

INITIAL RESPONSE, MARCH 2022 - JULY 2022

All Hands and Hearts’ response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine leveraged our proven disaster response experience to support safe evacuations of vulnerable families and children from combat zones. Based in Poland, AHAH procured and delivered 21 vehicles, which continue to be utilized today, including a cargo van turned ambulance and bulletproof busses and vehicles, which assisted in rescuing more than 100,000 individuals. AHAH supplied critical resources, including food, water, diapers, infant formula, baby food, personal protective equipment and generators to 60,000+ at-risk families.

Learn more about our initial response here.

PRZEMYŚL, JULY 2022 - MARCH 2023

The team completed renovations and repairs on seven shelters and one playground, assisting over 1,500 Ukrainian families seeking refuge in Poland. The shelters include Boratyn Shelter, Hope Shelter, Spare Parts, Przemyśl Shelter, Radymo Shelter, Friends of Medyka Shelter and the UNITATEM HQ Shelter.

Learn more about the experiences of shelter residents and refugees a year after the invasion in our blog.

KRAKOW, MARCH 2023 - MAY 2024

Krakow, Poland, has and continues to receive an influx of individuals and families who fled their homes after the invasion. All Hands and Hearts has been working in the city for the last year, conducting repairs to shelters so Ukrainian refugees have a safe and comfortable place to live. We also coordinate events to give the Ukrainian communities a sense of normalcy after the invasion uprooted their lives.

Current Activities in Poland

The Folkowisko Freedom Space is complete! Community members can now enjoy a new woodworking shop, library, information technology center, professional kitchen and accessible bathroom, all finished with new walls, paint and tiling.

Work at the Nidaros Shelter is nearing completion. The team has been providing critical repairs, including sanitation to prevent the spread of mold, plastering holes and cracks in rooms to make them habitable and updating bathrooms and bedrooms for over 60 Ukrainian refugees. Outside of construction work, the team continues to work alongside the community to support their urgent needs, including package sorting and distribution and conducting engagement activities, including English classes and a careers club.

Disaster Profile

After eight years, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine saw a major escalation when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Thousands have been killed, injured and forced to flee to neighboring countries. Two years after the invasion, the war persists and the devastating impacts on Ukrainian civilians continue. In 2023, approximately 17.6 million people required humanitarian assistance; in 2024, 14.6 million still seek support.

The war has created the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. According to the UNHCR, as of January 2024, 6.3 million refugees have fled Ukraine globally. Poland has welcomed the greatest number of Ukrainian refugees, receiving nearly 60% of all refugees from Ukraine.