WHIPPANY, N.J. – Members of the local chapter of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) recently gathered at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey to make a difference in the lives of children in Ukraine.
The feast of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker is one of the most highly anticipated holidays for children of Ukrainian heritage. It symbolizes the start of the holiday season and is the day when Ukrainian children traditionally receive gifts.
For children living in today’s war-torn Ukraine, giving and receiving gifts during the holiday season may be an elusive reality since many have been forced from their homes or have lost a parent due to war. In fact, according to the international organization UNICEF, 3 million people currently living in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian assistance, with at least 500,000 of those being children. Additionally, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees recently reported that the government of Ukraine has identified at least 1.5 million internally displaced persons since the start of the conflict.