Orest Zakydalsky, UCC Media, Ottawa.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) today announced the successful grant recipients from the Defenders of Ukraine Fund. The projects were selected based upon their efficacy to assist war veterans who bravely defend their country against Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine.
A total of $100,000 will be distributed among four projects, to be used for the rehabilitation and benefit of Ukraine’s wounded soldiers and veterans. The successful recipients are:
- Ukrainian Social Academy for “Boots to Business” entrepreneurship training program for veterans
- Donbas ATO Veterans Union, Centre Poruch for psychological support of veterans and their families
- Veterans House for ATO veterans providing temporary shelter and rehabilitation programs
- Pobratymy & Dopomoha Ukraini, “Training in Overcoming Combat Shock Trauma and Preventing PTSD for Veterans”
More than 80 applications were received and reviewed by an independent panel of jurors and advisors representing donors, medical professionals, community leaders and war veterans. They were focused on projects which will be most beneficial for Ukraine’s wounded soldiers and veterans.
The Fund was established thanks to the generous support of donors and participants in the UCC’s Gala Reception in Honour of Ukraine’s Invictus Team, which was attended by Team Ukraine, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, dozens of Ministers and other dignitaries from Canada and Ukraine, and several hundred guests at the Liberty Grand in Toronto on September 22, 2017.
“Thanks to the generous support of donors, participants and volunteers during the Gala Reception for Invictus Team Ukraine, the UCC and CUF will be able to support projects that provide meaningful and lasting benefit to Ukraine’s wounded soldiers and veterans,” stated Paul Grod, President of UCC National. “As Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine, we have a duty to support the defenders of Ukraine. The UCC is honoured to help these brave men and women, who are an inspiration to us all.”
“The Defenders of Ukraine Fund will provide meaningful support to vital projects that are assisting wounded warriors in Ukraine,” stated Victor Hetmanczuk, President of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. “We were pleased to see so many applications from organizations doing excellent work in support of Ukraine’s brave war veterans.”
In January 2018, CUF agreed to manage the disbursement and oversight over the selected projects. Together UCC and CUF issued an open call for applications from organizations working in this field.
A Selection Committee established by UCC and CUF reviewed the applications. The members of the Selection Committee were:
- Dr. George Huculak, a Toronto physician and Ukrainian community leader
- Paul Grod, National President, UCC
- Anna Kuprieieva, outgoing President UCC Ontario Provincial Council
Advisors included:
- Oleksandr Pysarenko, captain of Invictus Team Ukraine
- Victor Hetmanczuk, Canada Ukraine Foundation
- Alexandra Chyczij, Vice President Ukrainian Canadian Congress
- Serhiy Kasyanchuk, Ukrainian World Congress Kyiv office
UCC Invictus Host Committee and Gala volunteers:
- Renata Roman, committee chair
- Olya Grod & Alexandra Chyczij, Gala Co-chairs
- Mark & Marichka Marczyk (Balaklava Blues)
- Maria Antoniw
- Bohdan Cherniawski
- Christina Cholkan
- Marta Czurylowicz
- Julia Drozdowsky
- Kristin Glover
- Zoryana Grod-Loboyko
- Natalia Haluszka
- Orest Haluszka
- Tania Hetmanczuk
- Anna Heychuk
- Andrew Hojsan
- Ania Jacyniak
- Kalyna Kardash
- Valeria Konchyts
- Anna Kuprieieva
- Katie Kuzan
- Mikhaylo Loboyko
- Julia Metelitsa
- Nadija Polanski
- Andrij Potichnyj
- Ivanka Siolkowsky
- Irene Solomon
- Marijka Stadnyk
- Larissa Szachrajuk
- Luba Tarapacky
- Inna Tuka
- Christine Turenko
- Cassandra Wysochanskyj
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