Toys, School &Athletic Supplies for Ukraine's Kids

Updates and My Gratitude:

UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY 2023

On Wednesday, August 24th, citizens from around the world celebrated Ukrainian Independence Day. They also reflected on the past 19-months when Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukrainian commenced.

Ukraine declared independence 31 years ago on August 24, 1992. She has been a struggling beacon of reform, democracy, and liberty in Europe.

The crimes Russia has committed since invading Ukraine are unconceivable. Millions of men, women, and especially children, both displaced internally within Ukraine's borders, as well as externally throughout the world, have suffered from Russia’s cruel aggression. Sadly their lives have been altered forever.

My humble mission to bring some normalcy to Ukraine's youth through play recreational athletics, arts and education continues to progress. Since my "relaunch" of this crowd source funding campaign a month ago, I have raised just over $3000. I intend to meet my goal of $6000 dollars.

I am very grateful to Eric Stinson and Megan Kavanaugh, Carter Headrick, Duane Brown, Christopher Jensen, John Olienyk, Martha King, Cassandra Perlmutter, Jan McCarty, Dorothy Lamm, Donna Marshall, Catherine, Paddock, Laurie Weisman, Karen Newman, Barbara Yondorf, Tim Garrett, US Navy Seal Brian Dougherty, and those who prefer to remain anonymous. I salute Eric and Megan, Carter, Barbara, Duane, Frank and Linda Spitz, my fellow journalists at Vox Media, NHL Mile High Hockey, NFL Bucs Nation and MLS Burgundy Wave for their efforts to promote this mission within their respective circles.

I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to those who funded my first-phase trips to both Poland and Ukraine. Together we raised nearly $10,000. You, along with my friends and colleagues affiliated with the NGOs Ukrainians of Colorado, Denver Health Medical Center, the University of Colorado Medical Campus, Colorado State University, the Ukrainian Red Cross and Crescent, and Razom inspired this follow-on campaign. Despite the often arduous travel by planes, busses, trucks and trains, and my tenuous heart health, I am compelled to engage with traumatized Ukrainians. The sense of personal gratification is second to none.

I have begun to amass athletic supplies, school and library books, arts and crafts materials and comfort toys to Ukrainian children. To start, I will distribute these gifts in several shelter-based schools for children in Lviv who fled with their families from the battlefields in Eastern Ukraine. I also intend to lead several afterschool STEAM [Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math] classes for students, while their parents are completing their workday assignments. I also hope to teach basic conversion English to these rising children!

To that end, I invite you to contribute when you feel my project is worthy of your kind support.

Please circulate this campaign to your friends and acquaintances.

I will keep you posted weekly by-way of both my images and these updates.

Thank you all!

July 26, 2023

International One Voice Day

Dear Supporters, Champions, Family and Friends!

I am excited to announce that I have relaunched my GoFundMe campaign in order to raise funds for children in need throughout Ukraine who continue to needlessly suffer as a result of Russia's invasion of our sovereign nation.

I invite you to join me in delivering small humanitarian acts-of-kindness to children throughout Ukraine.

BACKGROUND

According to UNICEF, Russia's relentless war has forced more than 2 million Ukrainian children to flee the country, and over 1 million children inside displaced within Ukraine.

According to UNICEF, since war escalated in February 2022, over 3,300 academic institutions, including orphanages, nurseries, primary schools, universitie and athletic complexes have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine.

Some 5.3 million children are facing barriers preventing access to education, including 3.6 million children directly affected by outright closure of their schools.

MY OBJECTIVES

My previous experiences in Ukraine keep tugging on my heart. In a matter of weeks, I will return to Ukraine and assist in comforting as many children and teens, border-to-border, with an assortment of enrichment gifts, all in hopes of bringing some sense of normalcy to their lives, and hopefully reducing the psychosocial stressors and traumas that war brings.

For the next four months I will be raising funds to purchase and personally distribute playground toys and gymnasium athletic gear, including soccer, volley and basketballs, school supplies, library books and resources, arts and crafts material, and of course, chess and checker sets for our future olympians!

Once again I intend to deliver comfort stuffed toys to the youngest Ukrainian children, many whom are healing in community hospitals from their wounds.

I have already also offered my services to my friends at World Central Kitchen, and the valiant Ukrainian Red Cross and Crescent. I will feed adults and children in our liberated cities, and help rebuild their elementary schools, libraries, athletic fields and children's play areas.

So many of you had 'joined' me during my previous trips, both in first person, spirit and heart. I, along with those Ukrainians that I engaged with, on both sides of her borders, are eternally grateful for your sincere kindness.

Given that Ukraine's resilient people, leadership and military continue to resist Russia's deliberate terrorism and occupation, I feel compelled to return to lend a hand, my labor and spirit.

MY APPEAL

Please join me again and support my endeavors. Share my intentions and goodwill within your networks so I can exceed my ambituous expectations!

Thank you in advance. I will keep you up-to-date with both photographs and content. Slava Ukraini!

Sincerely, John

MARCH, 2022. Greetings! Thank you for reviewing my plea for your kind support. My name is John Andrew Babiak. I am a first generation Ukrainian-American on a mission to comfort displaced Ukrainian children who are fleeing their homeland. My parents fled greater Lviv, Ukraine in 1944. They often described their painful experiences transversing Europe both on foot, in carriages and on trains as World War II refugees.

They challenged me to help those in need and in similar situations, especially if they were Ukrainians.

 

My parents were generous and hands-on role models. They helped countless people during their lifetime. Now it is my turn to follow their lead. I invite you to support my efforts to acquire and personally deliver up to 5000 plush enrichment toys, coloring books, arts and crafts supplies, chess sets, playing cards and sporting gear to displaced Ukrainian children who are the run with their parents and guardians.

 

My goal as a humanitarian aid volunteer is simple- to comfort traumatized children in the Ukrainian-Polish border city of Przemyśl, Poland, and in Western Ukraine's cultural capital of Lviv.

 

I will be volunteering in these and nearby cities from April 8th through May 15th, 2022.

 

My intentions are pure- to provide some relief from the hardships that these resilient children have and are experiencing. I believe that our gifts will help take their minds off of the horrific events that they have endured.

 

In addition to my primary volunteer role, I intend to join the general ranks of the World Central Kitchen NGO [ https://wck.org/en-us/news/chefsforukraine-visual-storie] https://wck.org/en-us/news/chefsforukraine-visual-stories ] and help their teams in Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine prepare and distribute fresh and nutritious foods to those who are displaced, young and old alike

 

I invite you to join my campaign. Please make a donation, of any denomination or even in-kind, and support my efforts to acquire, transport, and disseminate plush comfort toys, coloring materials, and books to the brave and innocent children of Ukraine.

 

I thank you in advance for your consideration, compassion, and gifts. May God bless you!

John