A New England group of volunteers with Common Man for Ukraine is headed to the war-torn country for the 14th time to deliver humanitarian aid. When the group arrived at Logan Airport’s Lufthansa counter with 17 bags full of gifts for Ukrainian children, they received a big surprise. They arrived at the airport ready to check giant bags full of gifts and 6,000 donated knit hats, but when they got to the ticket counter, they didn’t pay a dime.”That’s $2,800 we saved that we can put toward food and feeding children at the front line,” said Susan Mathison, the co-founder of Common Man for Ukraine.”It’s bittersweet when we see the same kids in the same safe houses and you realize the building blocks of childhood they’ve missed over these four years,” Mathison said.The journey this year comes as Russia launches brutal attacks on critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine.Peace talks continue, but after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European leaders on Monday, he said no compromise has been reached on territorial control of the eastern region of the country.”It’s a little more nervous for me this time. Things are hot. We’re going right to the front lines,” Mathison said.Volunteers say it may be the most dangerous trip yet, but they’re focused on helping the country’s most vulnerable families.”We know people read about the war these days. We hope they’ll also think about the children and the impact of war on tiny kids in cold and that each of us can do a little something and make a big difference,” Mathison said.The group will be in Ukraine for the next week and a half — they are hoping it’s the last Christmas trip while the country is at war.
A New England group of volunteers with Common Man for Ukraine is headed to the war-torn country for the 14th time to deliver humanitarian aid.
When the group arrived at Logan Airport’s Lufthansa counter with 17 bags full of gifts for Ukrainian children, they received a big surprise.
They arrived at the airport ready to check giant bags full of gifts and 6,000 donated knit hats, but when they got to the ticket counter, they didn’t pay a dime.
“That’s $2,800 we saved that we can put toward food and feeding children at the front line,” said Susan Mathison, the co-founder of Common Man for Ukraine.
“It’s bittersweet when we see the same kids in the same safe houses and you realize the building blocks of childhood they’ve missed over these four years,” Mathison said.
The journey this year comes as Russia launches brutal attacks on critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
Peace talks continue, but after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European leaders on Monday, he said no compromise has been reached on territorial control of the eastern region of the country.
“It’s a little more nervous for me this time. Things are hot. We’re going right to the front lines,” Mathison said.
Volunteers say it may be the most dangerous trip yet, but they’re focused on helping the country’s most vulnerable families.
“We know people read about the war these days. We hope they’ll also think about the children and the impact of war on tiny kids in cold and that each of us can do a little something and make a big difference,” Mathison said.
The group will be in Ukraine for the next week and a half — they are hoping it’s the last Christmas trip while the country is at war.