It’s been nearly three years since Russia began its war against Ukraine, and its strikes have continued to destroy infrastructure, disrupt essential services, and displace tens of thousands of additional people. As yet another winter approaches, the impacts of these strikes are putting people – and their pets – at risk due to extreme cold. You’ve helped us provide winter aid since the war began, and you can continue to do so this year.

According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, nine waves of Russian attacks between late March and late August of this year damaged or destroyed power generation and transmission and distribution facilities in 20 of 24 Ukrainian-controlled regions.

The targeted strikes have harmed the electricity supply, water distribution, sewage and sanitation systems, heating and hot water, and education. As these attacks have continued, even more Ukrainians have fled, with nearly half of people contacted at the border by July saying they were leaving because they couldn’t access electricity, water, or heating.

Those who have fled this year join millions more who have had to leave their homes over the past three years. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says more than 6.7 million Ukrainians have left altogether, while there are 3.7 million Ukrainians displaced within the country’s borders.

For those still in Ukraine, which include elderly people and those with disabilities who could not flee, lack of electricity and damaged homes mean heating won’t be available for many this winter, a time of year when temperatures can dip below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The Mission says with the damage being so extensive, it will “take years to fully repair and restore.” As we have in past winters, we’re working to help in the meantime by distributing blankets.

With your support, GreaterGood sent 36,000 blankets to those in need in 2023, including 1,000 for displaced cats and dogs and 5,000 for toddlers and babies. Between December 2023 and early fall of this year, more than 11,000 blankets have also made their way to those in need.

Ahead of this winter, we’ve purchased 10,000 more for distribution, and our founder and CEO Tim Kunin has been at recent distribution events. In November, we worked with partners to give a total of 3,279 blankets to families near the frontlines and in contested areas of Ukraine. Because of the continuing impacts of power outages and the need for other means of heat, families received two blankets rather than one. 

In addition to helping residents keep warm, the blankets are made in Ukraine to help bolster the economy. This is important, as nearly 25% of the population has been pushed into poverty since the war began. 

This winter, we’re working to provide much needed warmth and comfort through more blanket distributions. If you’d like to continue to help, click below!