Hi Everyone,
Thanks very much for all your encouraging messages, your donations and your ongoing support.
With your help, we completed our latest shipment of warm clothing, which departed for Ukraine last week. This shipment was done in consolidation with Ukrainian Association of New Zealand.
In total there were several tonnes of clothing, medicines and medical equipment.
This time, our humanitarian aid was predominately in form of thermal clothing for adults and children (please refer to a few photos in the Gallery).
The shipment was planned well in advance to ensure delivery of the goods and their distribution via our volunteers’ network before the start of winter in Ukraine. Some of the goods were procured from New Zealand retailers - thermals, beanies, gloves, underwear, socks, nappies and hygiene products. However, a significant part of this shipment was produced and donated by our East Auckland community - woollen jerseys, socks, beanies for babies and children, warm jackets for kids, thermal blankets / wraps, thermal tops and pants for children.
I am taking an opportunity to introduce you one of our supporters Emma from East Auckland who took upon this project in supplying Ukrainian kids with warm clothing. She and her team did a fantastic job in organising everything and meeting deadlines for loading.
Here is her letter or summary which speaks for itself, -
"Like many people I had wanted to do something to help the people of Ukraine, but in a tangible way.
I knit so I got mentioning to family, friends, and colleagues my idea and along with others from Waipu to Whanganui who heard about the knitting project we made several hundred woollen jerseys for babies and children, which were sent to Ukraine and distributed to maternity hospitals and locals in need. Each jersey had a heart shaped cut out with the message “With Love from NZ”.
Robyn, a generous supporter, supplied Italian thermal fabric to the Highland Park sewing group, who offered me a bundle. I cannot sew but thought if I could find people with overlockers and time, we could make thermals.
So, Janet a friend from Whangaparoa, sorted patterns, templates and overlockers and our first working bee was underway. Michelle from Beachlands organised another working bee, we drew and cut out piles of long johns and got sewing. Others from the local area of Beachlands, Maraetai and Clevedon area including the church helped sew over 400 thermal tops and pants for newborns ages 2 years through to 10 years age. A company kindly donated the elastic. Racheal from Beachlands spent many evenings sewing and she completed about 150 items.
Valeriy and Elena, local Ukrainian kiwis, who were aware of the needs of people in the war zone said there was a need for wraps, so we made 80. Patsy from Pakuranga edged 60. Each article was stamped with a label- “Made in NZ with love”, till the stamp ran out.
Many people assisted with enabling this project to be such a great success, a few letters accompanied parcels saying they were very grateful for the opportunity to contribute, they wanted to do something but did not know how to.
The project was an absolutely privilege to organise and facilitate and a pleasure to be able to help the folks In Ukraine, keep them warm in the coming winter. "
Thank you, Emma and your team again for such valuable contribution.
And finally, you may have noticed that there is a slowdown in donations.
We now need to focus on raising more funds to continue operating.
Please continue sharing this page and what we are doing with everyone you know.
The more funds we can raise the more we can do.
Thank you again for supporting us and people of Ukraine who are fighting for their independence in this horrible war.
God bless New Zealand and Slava Ukraini !
Valeriy
