The Philadelphia Protestant Home Auxiliary was planning to make a donation to the Ukrainian Educational & Cultural Center, 700 N. Cedar Road, Jenkintown.
When word spread at PPH, 6401 Martins Mill Road, more residents, staff and residents’ families wanted to contribute.
Last week, Auxiliary members and PPH staff delivered a check to Olga Mykhaylyuk, president of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America. So far, the Auxiliary has donated $3,700 and is continuing its efforts, including providing cardboard boxes for overseas delivery.
“We were amazed at the number of people who donated, residents, staff and family of residents,” said Patricia Coyne, president of the Auxiliary. “We’re thrilled to do it. It’s so rewarding.”
Mykhaylyuk, a Ukraine native who has been in the United States for 27 years, was appreciative of the PPH Auxiliary’s donation.
“We’re very thankful to the community for the support. Everyone’s effort is really helping,” she said.
The Jenkintown center has shipped more than 11,000 packages to Ukraine. Some of the needed items are tourniquets, sleeping bags, dark-colored technical fleece and tactical gloves, military boots and socks, thermal underwear, protective knee and elbow pads, flashlights and batteries, emergency bandages, Icy Hot pain relief patches, splints, Tylenol and Advil individual packs, protein bars, colored tape, hygiene products, food, baby formula, baby and adult diapers, chicken and tuna in pouches and boxes sized 22x18x18 or 24x18x18.
The center was also pleased to receive yellow and blue rosaries from a group of nuns.
John Dubyk, a Ukrainian-American and president of the Protestant Home, joined the Auxiiary in making the trip to the center.
“It was nice to see our residents and staff wanted to do something to help the people of Ukraine. It’s a great cause. I’m very proud of the auxiliary and all the residents and staff who had a willingness to help and did contribute,” he said.
Donations can be dropped off at the center in Jenkintown, and checks can be made out to UNWLA Philadelphia Regional Council. There is also a Humanitarian Aid account at Philadelphia Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union, 14425 Bustleton Ave. ••
