Ukraine Crisis Relief

March 2022 – August 2024
Last updated: September 2024

After the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, All Hands and Hearts (AHAH) provided critical support to Ukrainian refugees in Poland and internally displaced people (IDPs) in Western Ukraine for over two years. We addressed the ongoing need for safe shelter for displaced families and individuals, while developing new engagement programs in response to the communities’ needs.

Our Work

AHAH was on the ground in Poland from July 2022 to May 2024, providing critical support to over 75,000 people displaced by the war in Ukraine. Volunteers worked tirelessly to rehabilitate shelters and community centers, while also offering psychosocial support through art sessions and English clubs, helping to create spaces where Ukrainian refugees could come together and begin rebuilding their lives after being uprooted.

AHAH continued to work in Western Ukraine, supporting those displaced by the war, until August 2024. During this period, we partnered with Uzhhorod University to impact over 2,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) by rehabilitating 23 dormitory rooms, five blocks with six rooms each and two apartments in order to host incoming IDP families. Our team also offered ongoing psychosocial support, including more than 250 English club sessions, helping to create a sense of community and resilience while the war persists.

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.

Program History

INITIAL RESPONSE IN POLAND, 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.

REGIONAL SUPPORT IN UKRAINE, MARCH 2022 - PRESENT

Through our partnership with the Ukrainian charitable foundation Save Ukraine, we have impacted more than 112,444 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 176 displaced families, prioritizing vulnerable populations such as expecting or post-partum people, children with disabilities and elderly family members.

PRZEMYSL, POLAND, 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, POLAND, MARCH 2023 - MAY 2024

Krakow, Poland, received an influx of individuals and families who fled their homes after the invasion, and many continue to seek refuge in the city. AHAH worked in Krakow for over a year, conducting repairs to shelters for Ukrainian refugees to have a safe and comfortable place to live. We also coordinated events, conversational English clubs and the distribution of goods to give the Ukrainian communities a sense of normalcy and integration after the invasion uprooted their lives.

WESTERN UKRAINE, NOVEMBER 2023 - AUGUST 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 renovate living spaces and coordinate inclusive and accessible engagement activities for IDPs and families in Ukraine.