Your Support is Critical
When winter strikes in Canada, we reach for our thermostats, bundle up in warm clothes, and know that a hot tea awaits us after a chilly day. But imagine if that simple comfort was no longer guaranteed – if the switch on your thermostat didn’t do anything at all, and the promise of warmth remained unfulfilled. This isn’t a hypothetical scenario – it’s the daily reality for millions of Ukrainians.
While we may not always be content with our hydro bills, Ukrainian families face a different kind of winter calculation: how many hours of electricity they might have today, whether their local hospital’s generator will hold out through emergency surgeries, or if their children will be able to do homework before darkness falls.
For almost 3 years, Russia’s targeted attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have transformed everyday life into a constant struggle for survival. Hospitals perform critical procedures under emergency lights, elderly residents climb countless stairs in pitch-dark buildings, and families huddle together in freezing apartments, waiting for power to return. But amidst this darkness, there’s hope – and it comes in the form of concrete action from Canadians like you.
Your past generosity through CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has powered resistance and resilience across Ukraine. Our collective impact is undeniable.
In the darkest moments of 2022, with the support of NGO Initiative E+, we installed 60 generators in hospitals, keeping medical equipment running and saving lives daily. Picture a premature baby whose incubator stays powered through blackouts or emergency surgery completed despite missile strikes nearby.
For Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy, we’ve provided 50 industrial-grade generators with light masts, helping maintain essential services in the most vulnerable communities. These aren’t just machines—they’re lifelines that keep water pumping, communications running and hope alive.
We’ve also reached into homes, with the support of Global Medic, delivering 46 generators to war veterans’ families. This ensures that those who’ve sacrificed everything for their country don’t face winter’s challenges alone.
This $1.5 million initiative has already transformed countless lives. But with just 72 hours left in our Power Up Ukraine fundraiser, we’re reaching out with urgency – because more communities are waiting for help. The contrast between our Canadian winter experience and Ukraine’s reality is stark. While we can count on basic services, Ukrainians count the minutes between blackouts. While our biggest winter worry might be a delayed flight or icy roads, Ukrainian families worry about survival itself.
You can help bridge this gap. Your contribution today can help keep a hospital running, a family warm, or a community connected. We have three days left to make a difference.
Background
CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.