Support Children Fleeing War in Ukraine

We are seeking $25,000 for a class of kindergarteners who fled the war in Ukraine, finding refuge in the Czech Republic. Your donation will help keep the class going through the fall of 2022, providing humanitarian and psychological support for the children, including treatment for PTSD. If we exceed our fundraising goal, additional funds will be used to expand the children’s classroom and provide toys, clothing, and extracurricular activities.

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In the front room of an old building on an unremarkable street in Prague, a group of kindergarteners play with a paper doll in a makeshift classroom. Four months ago, they were in Ukraine, escaping Russian bombs, shells and missiles – while I was sitting in my office in New York, glued to scenes that reminded me of my Czech grandparents’ horror stories from the darkest days of World War II.

I felt I had to help.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been here in Prague with a class of refugees aged 3 through 7. They’ve left behind fathers and grandfathers who stayed behind to fight. They do not know when, and if, they will ever see their family members again. The trauma these children have experienced is so fresh, even the sound of a helicopter can prompt flashbacks and tears. The goal of this mission is to raise awareness of the Ukraine war’s youngest victims, help alleviate their suffering, and provide support until hopefully, one day, they can return home.

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This fundraiser runs under the auspices of Caritas Czech Republic, a charity registered in the Czech Republic. In the U.S., Caritas has partnered with Harmony Foundation., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in NY, in order to provide tax benefits to U.S. based donors.