Local Ukrainians load up a container to carry supplies to the front lines

Ukrainian New Zealanders are on a quest to pack a 40-foot container by the end of July with supplies to bring to their war-torn homeland, including toys, clothing, blankets, and medication.

The Ukrainian Association of New Zealand members are soliciting donations from all throughout the nation. Despite the fact that the existing container is currently 60–70% filled, transporting a 40-foot container is expensive.

The organizers are accumulating $20,000 through a variety of nationwide activities and fundraisers, as well as a Give a Little website, to send it to Europe.

The majority of the things this time around, according to association chairperson and Ukrainian Yuri Gladun of Hamilton, will be clothes.

“Clothing, warm items, blankets,” he continued, referring to donations from various groups, organizations, and people around New Zealand.

The association shipped a 20-foot container in October of last year together with another group named the Ukrainian Association of New Zealand – Southern Regions.

Gladun claimed that the first time around, medication was the most crucial component.

“Ukrainians living in the South Island approached different medical organizations to ask for donations at the beginning of the year,” he added.

Members then began to add additional donated gifts, such as clothes, soft toys, sleeping bags, and words of hope, to the container while they added the medication.

Winter troops and refugees received 60 pairs of Merino socks and 18 pairs of underwear from the Christchurch knitwear firm Weft.

Gladun remarked, “We even ended up purchasing some products ourselves.” We wanted the container to seem full, not empty.

The Ukrainian Association of New Zealand – Northern Regions has historically served as a cultural organization that unites the Ukrainian population in the North Island and hosts cultural and gastronomic events.