Ukraine has another supportive friend in Ottawa, Michel. He has met many Ukrainians through hosting as they arrived in Canada using the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, and each of them is now a personal friend.  CUAET was a temporary visa program established to allow Ukrainian nationals and their families to travel, study, and work in Canada for up to three years. It came into existence in March 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The first time that Michel heard of Postcards to the Front was at an Ottawa gala in spring 2024, organized to recognize supporters of the Ukrainian cause.  Some people brought postcards there for people to write and collected them afterwards. He describes how three friends who were present at the event with him each wrote a postcard. 

Then, in September, he explained, “I saw a post by Angela in a Facebook group supporting Ukraine, advertising the postcard initiative (Russia Embassy protesters). I asked who within my group of friends were interested to send a batch of postcards and got some positive feedback. We started to brainstorm a few ideas on the type of postcards to use, and my friend Svitlana K. suggested that we make our own. She took it upon herself to come up with a variety of designs which either highlighted aspects of Ukrainian culture, had a military focus, or that demonstrated support from Canadians. She found a local printer and we were quite satisfied with the quality and cost, so we proceeded. In the end, we had eight people writing a few cards: Svitlana, her two children Yeva and Sviatoslav, friends Kate and Oleg, a kind couple Svitlana met at the Ukrainian church, and me.”

It’s this sort of grassroots support that has made Postcards to the Front such a success. Ordinary individuals inspired by some person, or at some event, who want to do something tangible and meaningful to support Ukraine. From heart, through hand, to another heart so far away needing a bit of light during a time of darkness.

Thank you, Michel, for your initiative, and to Svitlana for her creativity! Especially, as Svitlana’s heart has been broken as her husband heroically gave his life defending Ukraine.

Let us not forget the many Ukrainians displaced from their homes and cities by the destruction and violence perpetrated by Russia, some trying to rebuild under terrible conditions in Ukraine; others seeking temporary shelter around the world, including in Canada.

Your messages of support do make a difference!

Need cards? Write to us at postcardstothefront.canada@gmail.com, and we’ll send you postcards to write to Defenders. FREE!

If you have some written cards ready for us to ship to Ukraine, here’s our address:

Postcards to the Front

P. O. Box 184

Millbrook, ON   L0A 1G0 Canada

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