The Y Stands In Solidarity With Ukraine

Blue and yellow split background with white heart graphic centered in the middle

 

 

The YMCA Movement stands in solidarity with Ukraine and all people affected by this conflict…

 

About YMCA Ukraine and YMCA Europe
 

The YMCA was established in Ukraine in 1902. After being banned from 1917 to 1991 when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, the YMCA was reorganized and restarted in 1993.

 

There are 25 local YMCAs (17 are still active as of March 31st) around the country reaching tens of thousands of youth and young adults each year through programs focused on sports, camping, psychosocial counseling, performing arts, HIV prevention, international exchanges and civic engagement.

 

Ukrainian YMCAs in Lviv Rivne, Lutsk, Karpaty and Ternopil in the west and Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv in the east are providing emergency support to the local community and the thousands of internally displaced people arriving from conflict impacted communities. This includes food, shelter, and overall support for youth, families, and the elderly.

 

YMCA Europe, the Area Alliance (regional resource office) for 44 national YMCA movements in Europe, is coordinating the short, mid, and long-term response plan. This includes: 

  • Emergency support, including food, clothing, housing, transportation and psychosocial counseling for internally displaced people and Ukrainian refugees (including Y staff and volunteers) in Romania, Moldova, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.  
  • Support for the Ukraine YMCA response efforts in the country if/when the situation permits.  
  • Coordination of regional response efforts and local, national and regional partnerships.
  • Support to re-establish long-term peace and reconciliation, cooperation and youth programs between Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

 

YMCA Europe has already disbursed emergency funds to YMCAs in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine in support of the emergency services they are providing to Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced people inside Ukraine.

 

How to Help

Funds are critically needed to support the YMCA's efforts to address the urgent needs of those impacted by the crisis in Ukraine. YMCA World Service, the national annual campaign of the U.S. Y Movement to support the critical work of YMCAs around the world, launched an emergency appeal on Feb. 24. Here are two ways you can support the appeal:

  • Make a gift at https://www.ymca.org/Crisis-in-Ukraine
  • Set "YMCA World Service" as your charity of choice in the Lyft ride share app, and support YMCA Ukraine every time you ride! Learn how.

 

Heartfelt thanks to the more than 700 individual and local Y donors who have already contributed. Y-USA has received donations and pledges for more than $285,000 as of Mar. 31. Y-USA will send these resources to YMCA Europe to strengthen and expand emergency services in Ukraine and the neighboring countries hosting refugees. Altogether, the global YMCA movement has raised more than $800,000 from YMCA partners and donors from around the world.

 

 

Category: News