United for Ukraine: Ashkar students wear hats to support Ukraine

WILLIAMSPORT- Angela F. Williams, President of United Way Worldwide, announced the United for Ukraine Fund.

In her address to the United Way network, Angela said “the scale of civilian casualties in Ukraine is alarming and heartbreaking.

It’s in moments like these that the mission of United Way is most urgently needed. In this regard, we have established the United for Ukraine Fund to support the vital work on the ground to help more than a million people who have fled the violence, looking for safety and desperate for hope.

In the earliest days of this crisis, United Ways and the world knew that humanitarian needs

would continue to grow and now it is estimated that over 10 million refugees have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries. Through our trusted partnerships on the ground in Romania, Hungary, and Poland, we are addressing the immediate needs for those escaping the violence and looking for safety and hope.

In addition to the specific Ukraine fund, United also provides links on their website to other local

funds in Romania, Hungary and Poland if donors wish to provide direct support for work in one

of these countries. As families migrate to safety across Europe, our trusted partners on the

ground, United Way Romania, United Way Hungary and Fundacja Dobrych Inicjatyw (Good

Initiatives Foundation) in Poland, stand ready to aid those who have been displaced by this

crisis. They are working with local partners to determine the needs on the ground and to

address the immediate and longer-term relief needed for those made vulnerable by the fighting.

The immediate support will cover:

Transportation

Shelter

Food and medicines

Critical childcare supplies, including infant formula and diapers

Hygiene kits, and more

Ron Frick, President/CEO of the Lycoming County United Way and team members, JanAnn

Todd Director of Community Impact and Betsy Reichenbach, Administrative Manager, attended the event at Ashkar where students were given the opportunity to wear a hat by contributing a dollar. Proceeds from the event will benefit United for Ukraine Fund.

“We are thrilled to help the students at Ashkar help kids in Ukraine who might have left their homes with only the clothing on their backs. The symbolism of the hat impacted me as many kids fleeing Ukraine may not have the very head coverings that we take for granted, ” said Frick. “We are just thrilled to have been a part of their day today.”