What began with a goal of bringing holiday joy to 1,000 children in Ukraine became something even bigger.
Thanks to the generosity of United Help Ukraine supporters, our annual Holiday Toy Drive delivered 1,150 gifts to children across Ukraine, exceeding our original goal by 150 gifts.
As part of United Help Ukraine’s Humanitarian Welfare Program, the Holiday Toy Drive has brought joy to children across Ukraine for 11 years in a row. This year, the campaign reached children whose lives have been shaped by the war, including children of fallen defenders and internally displaced families.
Each gift offered something simple but meaningful: a moment of joy and a reminder to a child that they are seen, cared for, and not alone.
Many of the children reached through the campaign have experienced grief, loss, fear, displacement, and the continued uncertainty of war. By exceeding our original goal, supporters helped us reach even more children during the holiday season.
A toy cannot change what a child has experienced because of war. But it can create a moment when fear and uncertainty give way to excitement and joy — and remind a child that someone is thinking of them.
Getting the gifts into the hands of children required the work of UHU teams and partners on the ground.
United Help Ukraine’s Aid Hub in Kyiv, together with partner organizations across Ukraine, helped distribute the gifts to children in communities throughout the country.
Our distribution partners included:
Their local reach helped ensure that gifts from the Holiday Toy Drive reached children and families across Ukraine.
The Holiday Toy Drive is more than a seasonal tradition. It is an opportunity for people around the world to show children affected by war that they have not been forgotten.
The results of this year’s campaign showed what can happen when thousands of individual acts of kindness come together — turning generosity into warmth, wonder, and smiles on children’s faces during the holiday season.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who purchased a gift, donated, shared the campaign, or helped make these deliveries possible.
Special thanks go to the team at United Help Ukraine Aid Hub and our partners in Ukraine who worked on the ground to distribute gifts to children across the country.
Thank you for helping us reach beyond our goal and bring holiday joy to even more children across Ukraine.
