Completed Projects
2024
Name of the Project
Date of Completion
Description
UAID-Direct Van Supply Project
2024-03-19
Thanks to significant donations from the Tullman Family Office with 501c3 support from Elevate Ukraine, VM4U has been able to financially support the procurement of a cargo van for UAID-Direct, which was finalized yesterday by volunteers in the UK. UAID-Direct organization raises and delivers humanitarian aid throughout Ukraine leveraging their warehouses at Medyke and Kyiv, their van fleet, and international volunteer drivers and volunteer warehouse operators.
TacMed Ukraine Medical Supply Project
2024-03-01
A refurbished defibrillator was urgently requested by TacMed Ukraine on 1/29 was delivered to medics on 3/1. Medical equipment in Ukraine can be hard to find, hard to refurbish, and at inflated cost. Thanks to YOUkraine for connecting VM4U with Rauberger Medical Trading Company near Vienna. The defibrillator was covered by VM4U donations.
Matusya Bicycle Supply Project
2024-02-01
External Media Report
The VM4U Bicycle Program Manager purchased and delivered 17 bicycles to Matusya children’s aid collection and distribution center. Matusya has since distributed the bicycles to local refugee children on a first-come, first-served basis. Matusya reports that teenagers are the most vulnerable age group and the bicycles are important for them. The bicycles were partially sponsored by a private donor and partially covered by VM4U donations.
St. Nicholas Project
2024-01-27
The St. Nicholas Project Manager, working with the Domivka, The Feel Good Store, and Matusya organizations, raised 164 Christmas gifts and chocolates for the displaced orphanages in the VM4U network. Gifts and chocolates were delivered to the Kogl Orphanage and Mureck Foster Home (both in Austria) on 12/30 and 12/31, respectively, by volunteers from the US Embassy. A VM4U van team delivered the gifts to the Zhuravno Orphanage in Ukraine on 1/27. Additionally, the VM4U van team delivered ~800 kg of presents raised by Kleine Herzen for were delivered to the Save Ukraine organization in Lviv. No VM4U cash donations were used for the St. Nicholas Project – all presents and chocolates were material donations raised by VM4U with the support of Rotary Club Maria Theresa Vienna, US Embassy, and Vienna Family Network.
2023
Deliveries as part of the Supply in July Project
Completed shelving at the Vynohradiv, Ukraine Aid Collection and Distribution Center
VM4U van team delivering an industrial dryer, 1 dining table, and children’s clothes on 2023-06-10
VM4U Volunteers relocating refugees following the closure of the Vienna Arrival Center
VM4U volunteers transporting elderly disabled refugees from Vienna to an assisted living facility in western Ukraine
Volunteers organization the abrupt relocation of ~100 at-risk refugees following the closure of the Haidehof dormitory.
Volunteers loading The Feel Good Store furnishings into the VM4U van
Volunteers purchasing urgently needed and heavily discounted winter clothing at MA48
Kharkiv Regional Pyschiatric Hospital No. 3 in receipt of an 11 kW generator from Rotary Club Vienna Maria Theresa and…
Name of the Project
Date of Completion
Description
Domivka Supply Project
2023-12-18
As part of the St. Nicholas Project, volunteers inventoried the urgent needs of children in the Team Vienna network. Domivka reported that specific children were lacking winter clothing. Volunteers visited MA-48 and raised 30 coats, 12 pairs gloves, 15 hats, and 6 pairs shoes. Volunteers delivered these items to Domivka on 12/18. No VM4U donations were used; all materials were sponsored by a private donor.
Matusya Supply Project
2023-10-25
VM4U volunteers purchased diapers, baby shampoo, and wipes at METRO-Simmering and delivered them to Matusya Children’s Aid Collection and Distribution Center in Vienna. Matusya needs 2-2.5k EUR in donations per month just for diapers! VM4U donations were used to cover the baby supplies and van fuel.
TacMed Ukraine Medical Supply Project
2023-10-13
Urgently requested medical supplies and ambulance repairs were provided to TacMed Ukraine. Medical supplies included two stretchers, two LifePak12 patient monitors, one ECG (heart monitor). Ambulance repairs included a new battery. The medical equipment and supplies were raised by First Aid First Hand and YOUkraine and delivered to TacMed Ukraine medics by YOUkraine volunteers. VM4U donations were used to cover the medical equipment and ambulance repairs.
First Aid First Hand Ambulance Project
2023-09-28
The 2008 Mercedes Sprinter 413 cdi ambulance raised by First Aid First hand (FAFH) organization was delivered to the TacMed Ukraine organization in Kramatorsk on 9/28 by VM4U and FAFH volunteers. Medical supplies raised by VM4U (with procurement support from YOUkraine) were delivered to TacMed Ukraine with the ambulance. The TacMed Ukraine team anticipates that the ambulance will be used primarily for the long distance transport of patients in critical condition. DW Inside Europe covered the ambulance delivery (start at 9:07 or -45:45). VM4U donations were used to purchase medical supplies, diesel, tolls, mechanical equipment for the ambulance, and driver accommodations during delivery.
TacMed Ukraine Support Project
2023-09-08
VM4U volunteers helped create an official non-profit organization in Ukraine around Lead Medic, Simon Johnsen, from Norway. Simon has been leading a team of international, volunteer medics working in the hot areas in Ukraine since the March 2022. Vienna based volunteers helped stand up all the business functions for his non-profit organization called TacMed Ukraine (e.g., website, email, social media, legal, fundraising, banking, IT, etc.). Together with other Vienna based non-profit organizations, First Aid First Hand and YOUkraine, VM4U provided Simon’s team a fully supplied ambulance, medical equipment, and medical supplies. Now Simon and his medics can focus on saving lives and leave the rest to international volunteers.
Supply in July Project
2023-07-29
During July, VM4U drivers, Sasha, Andy, Vanessa, Michael, and Adam, drove 13,593 km in the course of completing 8 supply deliveries in Ukraine in support of VM4U partner organizations UAID-Direct, Kleine Herzen, Net of Hope, Hahó Volunteers, PC’s fur Alle, Oleg “Mr. Insulin”, and YOUkraine. This included supplies for orphanages, aid-collection and distribution centers, and hospitals. The total operations expense of 2,871.40 EUR included diesel, shipping, repairs, driver lodging, vignettes was covered by VM4U donations.
Haho Volunteers Support Project
2023-07-20
On 20 May 2023, VM4U was contacted by HAHO Volunteers from Budapest, requesting VM4U logistical support. Haho Volunteers had sourced nearly 2 tons of industrial shelving in Vienna which was needed to outfit an aid collection and distribution center in Vynohradiv, Ukraine (near the Hungarian border). In July 2023, VM4U van teams picked up the shelving in Vienna. On July 2 and July 20, two separate VM4U van teams delivered the shelving from Vienna to the Vynohradiv Center. On July 21-23, volunteers from Haho Volunteers and Net of Hope, also from Budopest, traveled to the Vynohradiv Center, constructed the shelving, and effectively converted the Vynohradiv Center from a warehouse of boxes into kitchen pantry. The volunteer operated Vynohradiv Center serves ~300 displaced people per day. VM4U donations covered the cost of van fuel and vignettes.
Zhuravno Orphanage Supply Project
2023-07-02
On 2023-04-30, VM4U began a social media campaign to raise donations for industrial washers and industrial dryers urgently needed by the displaced orphanage in Zhuravno, Ukraine. On 2023-06-10, a VM4U van team (including a driver from Rotory International – Maria Theresa Chapter Vienna) delivered children’s clothing from The Feel Good Store along with an industrial dryer and a dining table from VM4U. On 2023-06-10, VM4U received a request for 5 computers. On 2023-07-02, a VM4U van team delivered 5 PC computers from PCs für Alle and toys from Kleine Herzen.
Vienna Arrival Center Support Project
2023-06-05
The Vienna Arrival Center (VAC, refugee center operated by Red Cross) closed on 6/5. Svetlana, VM4U Case Manager, led VM4U volunteers in a cooperative effort with the Red Cross staff to find accommodations and transportation for the people (and their personal belongings) who remained there after closing. The reason why many refugees remained at the VAC after closing were primarily because these refugees were caught in the bureaucratic gears. These cases included: (1) refugees who were initially registered in other Austrian cities and, thus, are ineligible to receive government sponsored accommodations in Vienna; (2) refugees who have turned down a government sponsored accommodation in Vienna (and thus will not receive a second offer); and (3) refugees with special needs (e.g., elderly, disabled, blind, ill) with too many suitcases, and cannot relocate using public transportation. VM4U volunteers transported 9 refugees and their personal belongings to Hostel Hutteldorf (dormitory operated by VolksHilfe) using the VM4U van and VM4U volunteer’s private vehicles. At the end of the day, all refugees remaining at the center where offered at-least a temporary accommodation in Vienna. The cost of fuel and packing materials were covered by VM4U donations and volunteers; IKEA bags were sponsored by Social Work Hub.
Shklo Repatriation Project
2023-06-01
VM4U transported 6 elderly people (4 disabled) from Vienna (staying at Hostel Hutteldorf, operated by Volkshilfe) to an assisted living facility in Shklo, Ukraine (outside of Lviv). These people came to Vienna via volunteers from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia last fall. The VM4U Project Manager organized the transportation of these very fragile people. A VM4U van team forwarded the personal belongings to the assisted living facility in Ukraine ahead of the passengers. Seven VM4U volunteers in Vienna along with staff from the Austrian National Railway (ÖBB), transported these people from Hostel Hutteldorf to Vienna Hauptbahnhof and assisted them onto the train during the 8 minute window. Two VM4U volunteers accompanied the passengers on the train to the Przemysl, Poland Main Train Station (on the Polish-Ukraine border). About 12 people assisted to unload the passengers off the train without a wheel chair ramp. Two volunteer drivers from Ukraine with private vehicles then drove the 6 passengers from Przemysl to the assisted living facility and arrived by midnight. VM4U and volunteer donations were used for refugee and volunteer train tickets and volunteer return bus tickets.
Haidehof Dormatory Support Project
2023-04-15
The closure of the Haus Haidehof dormitory occurred on 4/15. ~100 refugee tenants, who are mostly disabled, blind, amputee, wheel chair bound, and with serious medical concerns, were unable to move by the deadline and were at-risk of ending up on the street. VM4U organised a team led by Svetlana, Case Manager, who earlier this week met with the Haus Haidehof management from Samariterbund. Svetlana negotiated permission for VM4U support and then interviewed the ~100 refugee tenants to establish the needs. After the human and material resources were organised, Svetlana then marshalled ~50 volunteers to pack baggage, transport refugees, and deliver baggage from Haidehof to ~10 locations around Vienna over 48 hours. Svetlana also worked with counterparts from Fonds Soziales Wien, i.e. the Austrian government, to perform last minute placement of refugees without accommodation. All refugees and their belongings were successfully transferred to new accommodations except for 4 cases, including blind and disabled refugees, who were forced to stay at the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center operated by Red Cross). One family with life-threatening medical concerns was transferred to a VM4U host family with permission for FSW. The Social Work Hub sponsored the 500 IKEA bags, YOUkraine and VM4U provide medical supplies, and The Feel Good Store and VM4U supplied volunteers.
The Feel Good Store Relocation Project
2023-03-24
VM4U assisted The Feel Good Store, a Ukraine specific aid collection and distribution store in Vienna, to change their store’s location. About 15 VM4U volunteers using the VM4U van completed the move over a period of two days.
St. Nicholas Project
2023-02-02
The St. Nicholas Project organized 417 presents (and ~500 sweets) for children in Vienna and at four VM4U supported orphanages in Austria and in Ukraine. The Project Manager matched the children with donors and organized the delivery of presents. Donated presents were raised by Kleine Herzen, Vienna Family Network, Domivka, The Feel Good Store, and many private persons. 350 chocolate Santas were donated by the Lindt Chocolate Company. Deliveries of presents to orphanages in Austria and Ukraine, as well as to the Save Ukraine organization in Ukraine, were performed by drivers from VM4U, The Feel Good Store, and First Aid First Hand, using the First Aid First Hand van and private vehicles. VM4U donations covered the cost of vehicle fuel and shipping; no VM4U donations were used to purchase presents or sweets.
Kherson Supply Project
2023-01-20
Through The Feel Good Store network, an urgent need in Kherson for winter clothing was reported. VM4U donations were used to purchase a large amount of high quality/low cost winter clothing through MA48 which was immediately transported by The Feel Good Store network directly to those in need in Kherson.