The Hope Ministries Sunday School, at the First United Methodist Church in Gilford, has been raising funds for children who have been devastated by war in the Ukraine. During coffee fellowship on two different Sundays, $106 was raised by selling food that was prepared by the students, teachers and members of our church. The children have also been writing personal letters and making holiday cards to connect with the children.
The church is thankful for a direct connection with a grassroots nonprofit delivering relief to Ukraine’s orphans, children and families in Common Man for Ukraine. This is an all-volunteer network that provides basic humanitarian aid to refugee orphans and children with parents in Poland and Ukraine. Starting in March 2022, they learned that the best way to help would be to raise funds and send them to trusted partners in Poland. About 2,500 friends in New Hampshire, the Plymouth NH Rotary Club, former New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, and the media talents of TV station WMUR and iHeart Media raised $2.3 million. The New Hampshire Fishercats AA Baseball team also allowed them to host a Ukrainian benefit game.
Under the original banner of “NH Relief for Ukraine,” they have provided funds to purchase 700 tons of food, thousands of sleeping bags, generators, a blood mobile, and established a trauma counseling center for Ukrainian refugees. The public is welcome to join with donations of all sizes appreciated. See commonmanforUKraine.org for more information.