As you know, our 2023 Collaborative Lenten Gift Collection was for the benefit of Misto Dobra (“City of Goodness”) in Ukraine. Working with Ukraine Forward, Inc., a U.S. non-profit based at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church in Jamaica Plain, our Collaborative Service Commission learned how City of Goodness provides a home for displaced mothers and children (and their pets!), including victims of domestic violence and those who, due to poverty, face the threat of having their children removed and placed in orphanages.
Since the invasion almost 2 years ago, it has also served hundreds of women and children displaced by the war, as well as children orphaned by the violence. City of Goodness provides protection, medical care, psychological support, social rehabilitation, and love.
We learned that City of Goodness was working on a new project – a facility to provide medical care and rehabilitation for medically fragile children. Our Lenten Gift – $37,678 – was presented Ukraine Forward to disperse to City of Goodness for this effort.
In October, we were excited to learn that the project was nearing completion! And in late November, we were thrilled to learn that the new facility would open the following week!
Marta Levchenko, founder of City of Goodness (shown celebrating with children, mothers, and staff in the photo below) appeared on Ukrainian television to talk about the new facility.
In the interview, Ms. Levchenko explained that many medically fragile children and their mothers in Ukraine have nowhere to go – they had no homes to return to, normal shelters were not equipped to provide care, and they could not remain in hospitals for months or even years.
This new facility, she explained, is staffed and equipped to provide specialized medical care and rehabilitation with doctors, nurses, and specialists of various disciplines.
“We call it the ‘butterfly building’ – everywhere is butterflies and light.”
“There is even a transparent glass terrace where children who cannot go outside due to severe diagnoses can see the sky and be closer to nature.”
There are rooms for mother and child to stay together, and there is also a special ward for babies who do not have parental care where they are cared for and loved.
The building has sensory rooms, rehabilitation rooms with specialized equipment, and a protective bomb shelter in the basement.
There is even a unique outdoor garden with plants, fountains, and paths of different surfaces for children to walk on.
“The most important thing is that every mother with a seriously ill child will not be alone, and will be able to find support, “ said Ms. Levchenko.
Once again, thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the 2023 Lenten Gift. You helped make this amazing “butterfly building” possible for these medically fragile children – some of the youngest and most vulnerable people in this already very difficult situation.
Keep up with City of Goodness on their Instagram (instagram.com/misto.dobra) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mistodobracv) pages (click “See Translation” to read posts!)
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City of Goodness shared the following detailed information, translated from Ukrainian, about the new center on their social media:
This is the beginning of a new important story for those who have been waiting so long. Therefore, it is so thrilled to share with you that from November 20, 2023 a rehabilitation center and hospice for children with disabilities and children in need of palliative care will begin functioning in the City of Goodness Center. All services, accommodations, and meals at the rehabilitation and hospice center are free.
We will help children with disabilities who are raised by only one parent (guardian/caregiver) or raised in large families and families living in challenging conditions, frontline areas, war-affected. These include children aged from 1 month to 19 years:
- who have motor functions disorders and require 24-hour care of physical rehabilitation and physiotherapy;
- who have complex diagnoses and require palliative care, 24/7 medical care, oxygen, and other medical support;
- who have incurable diseases.
If necessary, the City of Goodness will provide transportation of children from other regions of Ukraine, the accommodation of the mother in the center with all household needs and help resolve other related organizational issues. Mothers with sick children and other children can be admitted to the center if there is no second caregiver who can provide care for healthy children.
Also the City of Goodness is ready to provide psychological, legal, educational, humanitarian, or other assistance to the mothers of children in our country. ⠀
There is a possibility of children being without parents to enable them to resolve their own urgent issues or time for recovery.
Along with rehabilitating a child or warding or hospice care, single mothers can be provided with vocational training, employment assistance, or starting their own business.
Our task is to keep the child in the family, giving the mother time for recovery, rest, self-realization, psychological assistance.
Spread this information to those who it may help! We create opportunities, and now it’s time for those whose lives it will save!