When Global Care Force volunteer Ann Schwanda, RN, traveled to Ukraine in May, she brought with her a special gift from her former quilting club — a reminder that, thousands of miles away, people were holding Ukraine in their hearts.

The Patchwork of Love quilting group from Shenendehowa United Methodist Church in Clifton Park, NY, lovingly created several handmade quilts for Ann to deliver to Ukrainian families. These beautiful quilts, sewn with care and compassion, offer more than physical warmth – they serve as tangible symbols of hope and connection.

“A handmade quilt, sent from so far away by people who have never met them, carries a powerful message of care and solidarity,” said Dr. Lev Prystupiuk, Global Care Force Ukraine Medical Director. “For Ukrainian families who have endured loss and displacement, such a gift is more than warmth, it is a reminder that they are not forgotten, and that compassion knows no borders.”

The quilts were distributed at a refugee center where our Mobile Medical Teams hold monthly clinics. One recipient—a woman who has lived at the center for three years after fleeing the Russian occupation—was deeply moved, as were others who received these handmade symbols of love.