United Help Ukraine is a registered 501(c)(3) charity formed by people who met in 2014 at Washington, D.C., rallies and events in support of Ukraine.
A child receiving aid at one of our three SMUHA Family Resilience Centers.
The mission of United Help Ukraine (UHU) is to provide the people of Ukraine with critical support that will enable them to survive in the face of adversity, to defend and regain their sovereign territory, and to rebuild and thrive well into the future. UHU is committed to maximizing the impact of charitable contributions by providing humanitarian, medical and psychological assistance to those affected by the war. We also focus on raising awareness and advocating for Ukraine to remain a free, democratic and independent nation.
The Motherland Statue, Kyiv
United Help Ukraine strives to serve as a leading voice and partner that works diligently alongside the people and institutions of Ukraine so the nation and its people remain free, democratic, and independent.
The Defender’s Aid Program focuses on preserving the safety, physical health, and overall well-being of Defenders of Ukraine. The program provides essential humanitarian supplies, including protective gear, first-aid tactical medical supplies and training, communications and safety technology equipment, and clothing items.
The Medical Aid Program supports healthcare infrastructure and the well-being of wounded individuals and their families. This program provides critical hospital and ambulance equipment and supplies, training, as well as funding for the treatment and rehabilitation of the wounded. In addition, it offers resources for mental wellness support for families and children affected by the war.
The Humanitarian Welfare Program focuses on providing vital assistance to the most vulnerable populations in Ukraine affected by the war, including internally displaced people, residents of liberated and near the frontline territories, and families with children. By offering essential resources and basic necessities, as well as means of rescue and evacuation, this program aims to alleviate the hardships faced by these communities.
he Raising Awareness Program aims to inform and engage the public about Ukraine’s fight to defend its independence and sovereignty and to promote Ukrainian culture within the United States. Through various events and educational initiatives, this program works to increase awareness, foster understanding, and build connections between Ukraine and the United States.
2018—present
2016—2018
2015—2016
2014—2015
If your organization is interested in joining our mission, we’d love to connect.
United Help Ukraine marked its 10th anniversary in 2024 with the full-scale Russian invasion entering its second year. Thanks to the generosity of donors and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, UHU continued to grow as we strived to meet growing human needs. We increased our focus on the efficiency and sustainability of our four major programs: Defender’s Aid, Humanitarian Welfare, Medical Aid, and our Raising Awareness Campaign.
Defenders Aid: In addition to continuing to provide life-saving supplies like military-grade first aid kits, we donated over $27,800 in 2024 with help from a North American charity concert tour by top Ukrainian band Antytila — we made great strides toward sustainability. We expanded the United Help Ukraine International Center for Tactical Medicine to Lviv (in addition to its original location in Kyiv) so that more defenders and combat medics could receive advanced training in life-saving techniques. We also train the trainers who will pass such knowledge on to others. In 2024, we trained 9,000 frontline medics and soldiers.
Humanitarian Welfare: Sustainable sources of food and water are critical near the front lines. In 2024 United Help Ukraine more than doubled the households aided by our seed program to 12,000 and extended it to new areas so that it now supports people in the regions of Chernihiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Dnipro. This allows families to harvest crops like beets, cabbage, corn, and watermelon while using seeds from the produce to plant next year’s crop. Through our growing collaboration with the city of Düsseldorf and German nonprofit AVP, we sent a truck full of food, refrigerators, washing machines, computer tablets, and items for children to orphanages, foster families, hospitals, and children’s rehabilitation centers. In addition, with our German partners, we helped deliver more than 250 bicycles to Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian postal service, to enable continued delivery of vital mail over pockmarked roads, including medicines and pension payments.
Medical Aid: The number of medical containers we shipped to Ukraine continued to grow, and the number of hospitals we support rose dramatically, to 260. As a result, we were able to get help on the ground quickly after Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt, was struck by a Russian missile. Considering Ukraine’s urgent and ongoing needs, we made a strategic decision to focus on long-term sustainability. We did that in part through a series of webinars and conferences where experts from outside Ukraine shared their expertise with frontline surgeons and medics in areas like treating traumatic brain injuries. We know that lives were saved — and will continue to be saved — because of these efforts. UHU also continued to support defenders who have lost limbs through our Wounded Warriors Project, and in 2024, gave a $50,000 grant to our partner, the Protez Foundation, to open a critically needed prosthetics clinic in Kyiv.
Raising Awareness: UHU is a founding member of the American Coalition for Ukraine, and ACU’s diligent advocacy efforts paid off in 2024 as the U.S. Congress passed a long-delayed $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. Marking our 10th anniversary, we held two fundraising galas, one in Washington, D.C., and the other in New York, recognizing the efforts of our donors, staff, volunteers, and partners. UHU also initiated its collaboration with Marigold magazine, dedicated to the beauty and extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian women, with a launch party at Ukraine House in Washington that raised funds and showcased Ukrainian fashion. We also helped organize a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and continued our major participation in the National Independence Day Parade. Finally, we began a series of monthly webinars to continue spreading critical knowledge of issues affecting Ukraine.
United Help Ukraine marked its 10th anniversary in 2024 with the full-scale Russian invasion entering its second year. Thanks to the generosity of donors and the dedication of our staff and volunteers, UHU continued to grow as we strived to meet growing human needs. We increased our focus on the efficiency and sustainability of our four major programs: Defender’s Aid, Humanitarian Welfare, Medical Aid, and our Raising Awareness Campaign.
Defenders Aid: In addition to continuing to provide life-saving supplies like military-grade first aid kits, we donated over $27,800 in 2024 with help from a North American charity concert tour by top Ukrainian band Antytila — we made great strides toward sustainability. We expanded the United Help Ukraine International Center for Tactical Medicine to Lviv (in addition to its original location in Kyiv) so that more defenders and combat medics could receive advanced training in life-saving techniques. We also train the trainers who will pass such knowledge on to others. In 2024, we trained 9,000 frontline medics and soldiers.
Humanitarian Welfare: Sustainable sources of food and water are critical near the front lines. In 2024 United Help Ukraine more than doubled the households aided by our seed program to 12,000 and extended it to new areas so that it now supports people in the regions of Chernihiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Dnipro. This allows families to harvest crops like beets, cabbage, corn, and watermelon while using seeds from the produce to plant next year’s crop. Through our growing collaboration with the city of Düsseldorf and German nonprofit AVP, we sent a truck full of food, refrigerators, washing machines, computer tablets, and items for children to orphanages, foster families, hospitals, and children’s rehabilitation centers. In addition, with our German partners, we helped deliver more than 250 bicycles to Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian postal service, to enable continued delivery of vital mail over pockmarked roads, including medicines and pension payments.
Medical Aid: The number of medical containers we shipped to Ukraine continued to grow, and the number of hospitals we support rose dramatically, to 260. As a result, we were able to get help on the ground quickly after Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt, was struck by a Russian missile. Considering Ukraine’s urgent and ongoing needs, we made a strategic decision to focus on long-term sustainability. We did that in part through a series of webinars and conferences where experts from outside Ukraine shared their expertise with frontline surgeons and medics in areas like treating traumatic brain injuries. We know that lives were saved — and will continue to be saved — because of these efforts. UHU also continued to support defenders who have lost limbs through our Wounded Warriors Project, and in 2024, gave a $50,000 grant to our partner, the Protez Foundation, to open a critically needed prosthetics clinic in Kyiv.
Raising Awareness: UHU is a founding member of the American Coalition for Ukraine, and ACU’s diligent advocacy efforts paid off in 2024 as the U.S. Congress passed a long-delayed $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. Marking our 10th anniversary, we held two fundraising galas, one in Washington, D.C., and the other in New York, recognizing the efforts of our donors, staff, volunteers, and partners. UHU also initiated its collaboration with Marigold magazine, dedicated to the beauty and extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian women, with a launch party at Ukraine House in Washington that raised funds and showcased Ukrainian fashion. We also helped organize a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and continued our major participation in the National Independence Day Parade. Finally, we began a series of monthly webinars to continue spreading critical knowledge of issues affecting Ukraine.
As Russian aggression rages on, UHU’s support for the people and defenders of Ukraine is unwavering. Our four core programs—Medical Aid, Humanitarian Aid, Defenders Aid and Raising Awareness—are growing and more critical than ever.
Through our Medical Aid Program, UHU sends supplies and equipment to 47 hospitals, made possible primarily by $6 million in in-kind donations—enough to fill a dozen 40-foot shipping containers.
We expand our Wounded Warriors Program beyond prosthetics and physical therapy to include equine therapy in a rural setting for Ukrainian soldiers on leave. In the first half of the year, 440 brave defenders enjoyed the program.
UHU also launches its Smuha Family Resilience Project to provide mental wellness care for traumatized children and families. Fifty art therapists and psychologists are trained for the project, which already has helped more than 600 families.
Our Humanitarian Aid Program helps provide food and clean water to more than 56,000 people. We distribute more than 5,000 seed packets to residents of liberated villages, more than 3,000 power banks, lights and water filters and more than 200 generators to schools, hospitals and shelters.
Through our Evacuation Vehicle Project, we provide 20 ambulances filled with supplies and equipment and 30 evacuation vehicles to bring wounded civilians to safety, and we replace 15 vehicles through our newly launched Vehicle Repair and Restore Project.
In Defenders Aid, we supply more than 6,800 individual first aid kits, more than 16,200 tourniquets, more than 63 specialized combat medic backpacks, more than 300 radios, more than 100 Mavic surveillance drones, and more than 209 generators.
In Raising Awareness, for the second year in a row, United Help Ukraine leads participation on behalf of Ukraine in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. UHU’s volunteers design and build a beautiful handcrafted float and coordinated a live performance of Ukraine’s top band, Probass ∆ Hardi. As we march down Constitution Avenue, we again thank the U.S. for aiding Ukraine and feel overwhelming support from the American people.
As Russian aggression rages on, UHU’s support for the people and defenders of Ukraine is unwavering. Our four core programs—Medical Aid, Humanitarian Aid, Defenders Aid and Raising Awareness—are growing and more critical than ever.
Through our Medical Aid Program, UHU sends supplies and equipment to 47 hospitals, made possible primarily by $6 million in in-kind donations—enough to fill a dozen 40-foot shipping containers.
We expand our Wounded Warriors Program beyond prosthetics and physical therapy to include equine therapy in a rural setting for Ukrainian soldiers on leave. In the first half of the year, 440 brave defenders enjoyed the program.
UHU also launches its Smuha Family Resilience Project to provide mental wellness care for traumatized children and families. Fifty art therapists and psychologists are trained for the project, which already has helped more than 600 families.
Our Humanitarian Aid Program helps provide food and clean water to more than 56,000 people. We distribute more than 5,000 seed packets to residents of liberated villages, more than 3,000 power banks, lights and water filters and more than 200 generators to schools, hospitals and shelters.
Through our Evacuation Vehicle Project, we provide 20 ambulances filled with supplies and equipment and 30 evacuation vehicles to bring wounded civilians to safety, and we replace 15 vehicles through our newly launched Vehicle Repair and Restore Project.
In Defenders Aid, we supply more than 6,800 individual first aid kits, more than 16,200 tourniquets, more than 63 specialized combat medic backpacks, more than 300 radios, more than 100 Mavic surveillance drones, and more than 209 generators.
In Raising Awareness, for the second year in a row, United Help Ukraine leads participation on behalf of Ukraine in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. UHU’s volunteers design and build a beautiful handcrafted float and coordinated a live performance of Ukraine’s top band, Probass ∆ Hardi. As we march down Constitution Avenue, we again thank the U.S. for aiding Ukraine and feel overwhelming support from the American people.
Thanks to advance planning, we are able to respond quickly after the full-scale Russian invasion begins on February 24. More than $50 million in donations and in-kind contributions of medical supplies and equipment pour in from people and organizations determined to help Ukraine. UHU leaders and volunteers—along with our first hired staffers—work tirelessly to channel such aid through four major programs: Medical Aid, Humanitarian Aid, Defenders Aid, and the Raising Awareness Campaign. Components of the Medical Aid program include our Wounded Warrior and Mental Wellness programs.
UHU opened its first warehouse in Ukraine within three weeks as aid shipments began to arrive. Ultimately UHU would open three warehouses in Ukraine and hire a staff of 12 on the ground.
We provided medical supplies and equipment to more than 30 hospitals. UHU helped feed civilians and provide clean water.
Other items shipped included bullet-proof vests for defenders—in accordance with our priority of saving lives—as they were not being supplied at that time by the Ukrainian government.
Through our Raising Awareness Program, UHU takes the lead in organizing a diverse group of Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians to proudly represent Ukraine in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. We thank the U.S. for standing with Ukraine.
Thanks to advance planning, we are able to respond quickly after the full-scale Russian invasion begins on February 24. More than $50 million in donations and in-kind contributions of medical supplies and equipment pour in from people and organizations determined to help Ukraine. UHU leaders and volunteers—along with our first hired staffers—work tirelessly to channel such aid through four major programs: Medical Aid, Humanitarian Aid, Defenders Aid, and the Raising Awareness Campaign. Components of the Medical Aid program include our Wounded Warrior and Mental Wellness programs.
UHU opened its first warehouse in Ukraine within three weeks as aid shipments began to arrive. Ultimately UHU would open three warehouses in Ukraine and hire a staff of 12 on the ground.
We provided medical supplies and equipment to more than 30 hospitals. UHU helped feed civilians and provide clean water.
Other items shipped included bullet-proof vests for defenders—in accordance with our priority of saving lives—as they were not being supplied at that time by the Ukrainian government.
Through our Raising Awareness Program, UHU takes the lead in organizing a diverse group of Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians to proudly represent Ukraine in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. We thank the U.S. for standing with Ukraine.
UHU continues supporting military hospitals, providing tactical medical supplies to Ukrainian defenders, and raising awareness of the impact of Russian aggression. By fall, a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia becomes a distinct possibility and UHU begins advance planning for a potentially major conflict.
UHU continues supporting military hospitals, providing tactical medical supplies to Ukrainian defenders, and raising awareness of the impact of Russian aggression. By fall, a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia becomes a distinct possibility and UHU begins advance planning for a potentially major conflict.
As UHU continues to expand its programs, we fund a project to provide jobs and self-sufficiency for residents of a small village near the frontlines in Donbas with the installation of two greenhouses and the purchase of a tractor. As COVID-19 spreads, UHU provides reusable face masks for police officers in Kyiv and a ventilator for the Lviv military hospital.
As UHU continues to expand its programs, we fund a project to provide jobs and self-sufficiency for residents of a small village near the frontlines in Donbas with the installation of two greenhouses and the purchase of a tractor. As COVID-19 spreads, UHU provides reusable face masks for police officers in Kyiv and a ventilator for the Lviv military hospital.
Military hospitals become a major focus. UHU delivers equipment to the main military hospital in Irpin, northern Ukraine, in partnership with Project C.U.R.E., one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world, which delivers medical supplies and equipment to developing countries. UHU also buys supplies for several regional medical facilities.
UHU funds heating equipment for a church within range of Russian artillery and repairs of civilian SUVs used to evacuate wounded soldiers from the war zone.
Military hospitals become a major focus. UHU delivers equipment to the main military hospital in Irpin, northern Ukraine, in partnership with Project C.U.R.E., one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world, which delivers medical supplies and equipment to developing countries. UHU also buys supplies for several regional medical facilities.
UHU funds heating equipment for a church within range of Russian artillery and repairs of civilian SUVs used to evacuate wounded soldiers from the war zone.
UHU hosts events to draw attention to the plight of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who was arrested in 2014 and charged with plotting terrorist activity against Russia. He was convicted in a Russian court and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Our efforts on his behalf raise our profile in Ukrainian communities around the world.
We also begin participation in the Combined Federal Campaign, the workplace giving program of the U.S. government, enhancing our fundraising capabilities abilities.
UHU also provided a ventilator to be installed in an ambulance in Ukraine—the first of many we would provide for ambulances as well as medical facilities. We also sent our first shipment of specialized clothing to Ukrainian defenders, including protective gear, boots, and cold-weather clothing.
UHU begins its annual support for wounded Ukrainian soldiers running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.
UHU hosts events to draw attention to the plight of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who was arrested in 2014 and charged with plotting terrorist activity against Russia. He was convicted in a Russian court and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Our efforts on his behalf raise our profile in Ukrainian communities around the world.
We also begin participation in the Combined Federal Campaign, the workplace giving program of the U.S. government, enhancing our fundraising capabilities abilities.
UHU also provided a ventilator to be installed in an ambulance in Ukraine—the first of many we would provide for ambulances as well as medical facilities. We also sent our first shipment of specialized clothing to Ukrainian defenders, including protective gear, boots, and cold-weather clothing.
UHU begins its annual support for wounded Ukrainian soldiers running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.
Further expanding its efforts, UHU begins to help the Center for Psychological Rehabilitation of Children in the Donbas region, where many children suffered from severe trauma. UHU also begins supporting Ukrainian soldiers brought to the U.S. for treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.
Further expanding its efforts, UHU begins to help the Center for Psychological Rehabilitation of Children in the Donbas region, where many children suffered from severe trauma. UHU also begins supporting Ukrainian soldiers brought to the U.S. for treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.
UHU continues to seek funding and forms partnerships with people and organizations to support on-the-ground efforts in Ukraine. We increase deliveries of hospital equipment and supplies in partnership with the Brother’s Brother Foundation, a community organization focused on performing charity work and mission trips to benefit global health, education, infrastructure, and disaster relief efforts.
We organize a major charity concert with Ukrainian pop-rock band SKAI and a second concert by Bria Blessing to mark the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in 2014. Russian forces in Ukraine shot down the Boeing 777, killing 283 passengers and 15 crew members, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
UHU continues to seek funding and forms partnerships with people and organizations to support on-the-ground efforts in Ukraine. We increase deliveries of hospital equipment and supplies in partnership with the Brother’s Brother Foundation, a community organization focused on performing charity work and mission trips to benefit global health, education, infrastructure, and disaster relief efforts.
We organize a major charity concert with Ukrainian pop-rock band SKAI and a second concert by Bria Blessing to mark the anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in 2014. Russian forces in Ukraine shot down the Boeing 777, killing 283 passengers and 15 crew members, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
UHU obtains 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and increases the scale of its operations. Distribution efforts are now measured by the truckload. The first shipment of supplies is sent directly to a military hospital under our Medical Aid Program.
Our Christmas Giving Program is launched, to send presents to the children of internally displaced people and of wounded or fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
UHU expands its charity concert programming with the first annual Heavenly Hundred Commemoration Evening at the Ukrainian Embassy. The concert series, named for the martyrs killed during Euromaidan, continued through 2020 and raised significant funds. Performers have included Ukrainian singer Anastasiya Prikhodko, Bria Blessing, a Ukrainian-American from Texas, and classical pianist Pavlo Gintov.
UHU obtains 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and increases the scale of its operations. Distribution efforts are now measured by the truckload. The first shipment of supplies is sent directly to a military hospital under our Medical Aid Program.
Our Christmas Giving Program is launched, to send presents to the children of internally displaced people and of wounded or fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
UHU expands its charity concert programming with the first annual Heavenly Hundred Commemoration Evening at the Ukrainian Embassy. The concert series, named for the martyrs killed during Euromaidan, continued through 2020 and raised significant funds. Performers have included Ukrainian singer Anastasiya Prikhodko, Bria Blessing, a Ukrainian-American from Texas, and classical pianist Pavlo Gintov.
Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Maidan Uprising or Euromaidan, forces President Viktor Yanukovych into exile in Russia. Snipers and iron truncheons, tools of Russian influence, could not repress peaceful citizens shocked by violent crackdowns, sick of corruption, and yearning for closer ties to the European Union.
This victory for civil reform in Ukraine is followed immediately by direct Russian aggression–the latest in a centuries-old pattern–as unidentified troops, dubbed “little green men,” occupy Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and parts of the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot abide a free, democratic, and independent Ukraine: It is a threat to his system and to imperialist dreams of “Russkiy mir,” or “Russian world.”
Ukrainian-Americans in the Washington, area begin to meet each other at rallies, where they urge the Obama administration to increase support for Ukraine. The demonstrators form common bonds and organize to help Ukrainian civilians, including millions of internally-displaced refugees, and overwhelmed soldiers in need of tactical medical support. In June, United Help Ukraine is born.
Neighbors and friends join to collect funds and supplies, and host packing parties to prepare aid for shipping and distribution in Ukraine. UHU begins hosting fundraisers, including at area churches and Ukrainian festivals, serving traditional food, presenting traditional musical performances, and selling handcrafted souvenirs from Ukraine.
By year-end, UHU is fully incorporated and getting organized as a nonprofit under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Maidan Uprising or Euromaidan, forces President Viktor Yanukovych into exile in Russia. Snipers and iron truncheons, tools of Russian influence, could not repress peaceful citizens shocked by violent crackdowns, sick of corruption, and yearning for closer ties to the European Union.
This victory for civil reform in Ukraine is followed immediately by direct Russian aggression–the latest in a centuries-old pattern–as unidentified troops, dubbed “little green men,” occupy Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and parts of the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot abide a free, democratic, and independent Ukraine: It is a threat to his system and to imperialist dreams of “Russkiy mir,” or “Russian world.”
Ukrainian-Americans in the Washington, area begin to meet each other at rallies, where they urge the Obama administration to increase support for Ukraine. The demonstrators form common bonds and organize to help Ukrainian civilians, including millions of internally-displaced refugees, and overwhelmed soldiers in need of tactical medical support. In June, United Help Ukraine is born.
Neighbors and friends join to collect funds and supplies, and host packing parties to prepare aid for shipping and distribution in Ukraine. UHU begins hosting fundraisers, including at area churches and Ukrainian festivals, serving traditional food, presenting traditional musical performances, and selling handcrafted souvenirs from Ukraine.
By year-end, UHU is fully incorporated and getting organized as a nonprofit under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.