August 28th, 2025
68,905 people evacuated from danger to date
64 people evacuated from danger this week
35 trips into deoccupied and frontline territories this week
A “runner’s high” is a temporary state of euphoria that some people experience while running. There is also a “helper’s high” (less well known, but still very real). This is the state of feeling good after helping others. The former likely involves endorphins and the latter serotonin and dopamine. Last week, several UTC volunteers and over 100 other participants got to experience both highs at the Scranton 4 Ukraine 5K run.
The Scranton area was settled by many immigrants from Eastern Europe. Even today traditional Ukrainian foods are commonplace in restaurants and church picnics. This Eastern European connection makes Scranton a natural location for a Ukrainian-focused fundraiser. Scranton 4 Ukraine events are organized by the Scranton 4 Ukraine Association and sponsored by local businesses and individuals. The fourth annual run raised thousands of dollars for Ukraine TrustChain, which we will use to deliver critically needed aid. Perhaps just as importantly, the run reconnected hundreds of Americans to Ukraine; we hope that this connection will persist.
While it may seem daunting to organize a fundraiser, we know from our supporters’ experience that anyone can do it. Consider helping to organize one at your place of worship, social club, or local musical venue. Even a dinner with friends can serve as a fundraiser for a good cause. For more ideas check out the Fundraising ideas page on our website, or reach out to us at fundraisers@ukrainetrustchain.org.
Stories
Natalia from Lyman
This week, Ihor from the Dobra sprava team shared a story that brought him to tears — something he says almost never happens. Natalia, a 42-year-old woman from Lyman, had been living completely alone in a multi-story building that had already suffered a hit. Ihor evacuated her to Kharkiv. On the way Natalia was silent. When Ihor finally asked her where he should take her she paused, then asked to be taken to a bus terminal. Something in her tone made Ihor suspicious. Ihor asked if Natalia had a place to stay. She grew agitated, adjusted her hair, then admitted: “I have nowhere to go. I am going into nowhere…”
Ihor decided to bring Natalia to a transit shelter that housed refugees from the Kharkiv Region. It wasn’t easy to convince the staff of the shelter to register Natalia as a Kharkiv Region resident, but Ihor managed. Natalia was issued food, bedding, hygiene supplies, and a room. The sudden stroke of luck seemed to overwhelm her. She followed Ihor around wide -eyed “like a puppy,” only repeating “thank you” at every turn. But when Ihor was leaving, she ran after him, hugged him tightly and said through tears: “Thank you, thank you to you and your friends.”
Larysa from Nikopol’
Larysa is a Nikopol’ resident who recently received help from Inna’s team Krok z nadiyeyu.
I come from Mykolaivka in the Donetsk Region. The war caught up with us back in 2014 when the first explosions rang out. At first we expected it to all pass quickly. We moved to my brother's house in the village, but then he went abroad and we returned home.
We lived with hope for the best until 2022. But then the full-scale invasion began. The events quickly started to escalate. Our city was bombed every day. 20-30 houses were destroyed daily. It was awful. We lived in the basement. It was very difficult to endure. People began to leave the city and seek refuge.
My daughter-in-law, 10-year-old granddaughter and I managed to evacuate to Dnipro with just one bag of documents. We were promised an apartment there, , but there were too many refugees, so we eventually wound up in Nikopol’, where there were places available in a modular town. We really liked the city; it was green and clean, and there was no shelling. We were welcomed and provided with all the necessary help. So, we calmed down a bit.
However, one day, my daughter-in-law was taking a shower when she heard fragments hitting the roof. She managed to run out of the house and save herself. Those were the first rockets to hit Nikopol’. From that day on, the city has been shelled every day, but we've grown attached to it. We've lived here for three years now and we are used to everything. My granddaughter attends school remotely. We no longer have the strength or the desire to move further to find a safer location.
My brother suddenly died in Germany. Due to the stress, my health has deteriorated and my eyesight has gotten worse. Everything just piled on. Then, some volunteers came to our modular town and invited us to have our eyes checked and get glasses. It was so timely because buying glasses is expensive, and here they selected reading glasses and distance glasses for me and even gave me sunglasses, all for free. I am very grateful to Krok z nadiyeyu for their care, and for not forgetting about us during this time. We believe in victory.
Every Trip Brings Something New
The Amicus Ukraine team has completed their 37th trip to bring vehicles and humanitarian aid into Ukraine. A lot of things can go wrong when dealing with vehicles. This is particularly true with older vehicles that have been confiscated or donated and haven’t been recently used. While most of the cars made it to Ukraine just fine, one had to remain in Lithuania for a complex transmission repair.
Making matters worse, team leader Vitaliy (who recently became a grandfather) came down with COVID upon returning to Ukraine. We’re glad to share that, as of this writing he’s on the mend and is already planning the next trip in September to pick up the remaining vehicle.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra sprava (Good Deeds)
14 trips, evacuating 60 people, 9 of them children.
Inna’s Team – Krok z nadiyeyu (Step with Hope)
21.7 tons of aid distributed.
8,150 people received various forms of aid, and an additional 6,600 people received bread.
Aid was delivered to 32 locations, 8 of which are in high-risk frontline areas.
Evacuated 1 family from Kherson to Odesa.
Disinfected and conducted exterminations in 7 buildings.
Provided maintenance to several generators.
Distributed pet food.
Angelia Charitable Fund
Volunteers Volodymyr T. and Vadym brought back 60 backpacks loaded with school supplies and diapers from Zwickau, Germany. The aid was delivered to the Litai (Fly!) Foundation, for internally displaced (IDP) children in Kyiv, Poltava, Zhytomyr and Kryvyi Rih. Most of the families are displaced due to the war. The backpacks and school supplies are especially timely in advance of September 1st, when many children will be starting first grade.
Transported 2 tons of aid on behalf of Oleksandr D’s team, due to the hospitalization of that team’s driver. (See Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks.)
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S. (Boyarka): delivered 700 kg of baby food to the warehouse of the Volonterymo razom (Volunteer Together) center in Ukrainka for distribution to families affected by military aggression. Also delivered 600 kg of humanitarian aid for further distribution in the Sumy Region. Delivered 800 kg worth of clothing, shoes and hygiene products to Okhtyrka, a front-line zone of the Sumy Region. Delivered clothes, shoes, food, and household appliances to internally displaced (IDP) families in the Vinnytsia Region. Brought medical equipment from Germany to a hospital in Obukhiv.
Vladyslav K. (Mykolaiv): delivered 35 tons of water to Mykolaiv. Once again, no deliveries were made to Kherson, as the enemy is actively attacking the M-14 Kherson-Mykolaiv highway and has been seen purposefully targeting civilian transport.
WeCare Centers (Lviv): delivered 1.5 tons of tables, desks, chairs, clothes, and mattresses to needy families in Cherkasy.
Vitaliy Z. (Kharkiv): delivered 4 tons of humanitarian kits (food, clothes, medicine, animal feed, and “Victory” bread) to Oleksijevo-Druzhkivka. Evacuation has already been announced there, but the remaining residents have nowhere to go and are too poor to leave. Evacuated a woman from Lyman and an older couple from the village of Novoselivka in the Lyman community. Distributed over 500 loaves of “Victory” bread in the Zelenyi Hai neighborhood of Lyman. Delivery there is very dangerous due to constant drone threat and the locals hardly ever leave their shelters. Provided summer work uniforms to about 15 workers of a strategic enterprise in Izium District, Kharkiv Region.
Alla A. (Kremenets’): held a meeting for parents who have taken in foster children. Provided psychological support to about 200 people. Accepted and prepared documents from 70 applicants and submitted these to the Ministry of Social Policy program for receiving food and hygiene kits. Applicants are local people with disabilities and also IDPs from eight regions. 15 such kits have already been distributed. Provided day care and massage to about 15 disabled adults. Held online classes for 7-8 people with disabilities.
Oleksandr D. (Lutsk): brought 2 tons of aid from Bad Bergzabern, Germany, including an orthopedic bed, 8 washing machines and dryers, a medical ultrasound machine, a rehabilitation trainer, couches, a heating furnace, medicine, clothing, and more. Oleksandr’s volunteer Vadym is in the hospital right now, so the delivery was made with the assistance of Angelia Charitable Foundation.
Oksana K. (Lutsk): handed out 46 kg of clothing, shoes, toys, and bedspreads, and 65 kg of adult diapers and urological pads to 17 visitors at the team’s aid distribution point. Sent 15 packages weighing a total of 100 kg to military families and baby boxes, weighing a total of 30 kg to 3 large families. Donated paper towels and toilet paper to the Lutsk infectious disease hospital.
Oleksandr Z. (Lutsk): provided therapeutic interventions and aid to IDP children and families, children with disabilities, children from large families, orphans, and amputees. 990 children and adults received help, including art therapy classes, help with bread and other food, a visit to a museum, a development sports camp, glasses, medical and preventive procedures – including a “medical mobile trailer,” which traveled to remote villages in the Rivne region to conduct physiotherapeutic procedures for IDPs – and help with the manufacture of prostheses and rehabilitation.
Karina’s Team – My ryatuyemo Ukrayinu (We Save Ukraine)
104 people in the shelter.
Tetiana’s Team – Dopomoha poruch (Help Is Near)
Distributed 100 aid packages in the village of Krutoyarivka on the border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Distributed 155 aid packages in Bohatyrivka, Zaporizhzhia Region.
Timur’s Team – Komanda Teymura Alyeva (Timur Alyev’s Team)
Delivered aid to 311 families in Saltivka.
Special deliveries to 18 disabled elderly and 21 families with babies.
Pavel and Olena’s Teams – Dotyk sertsya (Touch of Heart) & Svitanok mriy (Dawn of Dreams)
25O families received food packages in Liubomyrivka and Luch.
46 families with children received school supply kits in Luch and Dobrokam'yanka
2 trainings for internally displaced persons (IDPs) were conducted to support their adaptation and well-being.
The mobile team of the Posmishka UA Charitable Foundation conducted a psychosocial support session in Mykolaiv for local residents and IDPs on the topic of “Returning to Yourself: Discovering and Strengthening Inner Resources.” The team also provided art therapy.
Pomahaem Foundation (We Help Foundation)
Brought 24 tons of water to Nikopol’.
124 people passed through the shelter in Volos’ke, with 6 people remaining there.
Marina’s Team – Daruy dobrо Ukrayina (Give Good Ukraine)
Distributed 150 food and hygiene packages to IDPs in Piatykhatky.
Dina’s Team – Vilʹni lyudy, vilʹna krayina (Free People, Free Country)
Distributed 273 packages in Poltava, Kanev, and Kremenchuk.
Served 1,350 meals in the soup kitchen in Kharkiv.
Delivered 180 packages to Staryi Saltiv.
Bohdan’s Team — Vse robymo sami (We Do Everything Ourselves)
42 families in Zhytomyr received food and hygiene kits.
At the Club for Children with Disabilities, children attended art and culinary classes.
Alena’s Team – Diva (Virgo)
620 people received bread in Odesa.
Helped 39 wounded in the hospital in Odesa.
Amicus Ukraine
The Amicus team delivered 3 vehicles full of humanitarian aid from Lithuania to Kharkiv.
How to Help
Donate — The money goes directly to teams providing aid on the ground, who respond dynamically to the most urgent needs.
Fundraise — Organize fundraisers at your school, work, place of worship, with friends and family, etc.
Spread the word — Share our website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Bluesky Social with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Fill out this form if you’re interested in volunteering with us, and we’ll let you know when opportunities come up.
Download and print our flyer. Ask your local coffee shop if you can add it to the bulletin, or use it as part of your fundraiser.