Community Candy Collection Drive for Ukrainian Children

In early November, volunteers gathered at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, Maryland, where the Washington Ukrainian Humanitarian Center, in partnership with United Help Ukraine and Ukrainian School DC organized a community candy collection drive to bring holiday cheer to children in Ukraine.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, 1,026 pounds of candy were collected — enough to fill dozens of boxes that will be shipped overseas to reach Ukrainian children in time for Christmas. Dozens of volunteers, including families, students, and members of Cub Scout Pack 250, spent the day sorting and packing the sweets into individual gift bags.

Support for the drive extended beyond Maryland. A parent from Virginia shared that her daughter, a high school junior and officer of a student club called Engin (which tutors Ukrainian students in English), organized a candy drive at her school to contribute to the effort. This initiative was a reminder that even the simplest act of generosity can travel far and bring a moment of sweetness to children who are living in extremely difficult conditions as their country continues to fight against the Russian aggressor.