Ukrainian impaired children need your support!

Dear friends,

This winter has arrived with a force that many of us in Ukraine have not experienced for years. The freezing temperatures this season are unusually severe — the kind of deep, persistent cold that people remember from a decade ago, when winter truly meant a daily struggle for warmth. In the current reality of war, this harsh weather has become more than a seasonal difficulty. It is an additional crisis layered onto an already exhausting situation. Across the country, the extreme cold has placed enormous pressure on the energy system, and as a result we are experiencing widespread power outages. At the same time, the situation is further complicated by continued russian missile and drone attacks on critical infrastructure, which once again threaten the stability of electricity supply for millions of people. For families already living under constant stress, this combination of freezing weather, blackouts, and air raid alarms creates an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty that is difficult to describe — and even harder to endure.

At Dzherelo Centre, however, life does not stop. Even in these conditions, we continue to work with strength, discipline, and determination. We know that for the families we support — families of children and young people with disabilities — stability is not simply a matter of comfort. It is a matter of safety, dignity, and sometimes even survival. When electricity is cut, it is not only inconvenient. Heating systems stop, water supply becomes uncertain, communication breaks down, and daily routines are disrupted. This is why preparedness has been one of our most important priorities throughout the season. We made sure that our warehouse is well supplied with essential goods. We have secured a stable stock of food and drinking water, along with hygiene items and emergency necessities. We also ensured that our generator is ready for use, and that we have a reliable fuel reserve so that we can continue operating during power outages and maintain a safe and warm space for those who depend on us.

This winter is especially hard for the people around us. The war continues, and with every month it becomes clearer how deeply it drains families emotionally, physically, and financially. Prices rise, jobs are unstable, and many households have lost their main source of income. Fathers are often serving at the front, while mothers are carrying the entire weight of daily life alone. For families raising children with disabilities, the burden is even heavier. Winter makes everything more complicated: transportation becomes difficult, medical vulnerability increases, heating costs rise sharply, and the psychological pressure grows. In such circumstances, even basic necessities — food, medicine, hygiene products — can become an unbearable expense. That is why Dzherelo continues to provide humanitarian aid packages and essential support to families in need. These packages are not only material help. They are reassurance. They say: you are not alone, you are not forgotten, and someone is standing beside you.

Despite the freezing temperatures and the blackouts, our Centre continues to operate. We plan carefully, communicate closely with families, and do everything possible to ensure continuity of care. Dzherelo has always been more than a facility — it is a community, a space of belonging, and a place where children and families can feel safe and respected. And even during the hardest weeks, we are not only trying to endure. We continue implementing our ongoing projects and developing social services for the community, strengthening partnerships and working on long-term solutions that will remain necessary far beyond the war.

All of this is possible thanks to you. Your support gives Dzherelo the ability to remain stable, prepared, and strong. Thanks to your solidarity, our warehouse is stocked, our generator is ready, our fuel reserve is secured, and our team can continue working even during the most challenging days. You help us keep warmth in the Centre when the city goes dark, and you make it possible for families to feel protected, for children to receive care, and for our work to continue with dignity and purpose. Winter in Ukraine during wartime is always a test, and this year it is a particularly difficult one. But we face it with determination and hope — because we know that we are not walking this path alone. From all of us at Dzherelo Centre, thank you for staying with us, for believing in our mission, and for helping us continue forward — step by step, family by family, child by child.