Postcards raise morale and bring hope
Inna volunteers with ТИ НЕ ОДИН UA / You are not alone UA, that supports Defenders and children of Ukraine with supplies and moral support. We’re grateful that she was able to give some of her time to tell our readers about the work of You are not alone, and about the positive impact of postcard messages of support to Ukraine’s Defenders. If you want to know more, check out You are not alone UA Facebook page.
By Inna Z.
For quite some time, aid traveled from Germany to Ukraine. But, the flow ebbed. Still, we continue to help those in need: soldiers on the front line, residents in the war zone, and children with disabilities who especially need support.
Every parcel, every donated item is a small victory of kindness. We understand that even in the hardest times, it is important to remain useful, to remain people who act instead of people who wait. This work has given us strength and faith; even in dark times, it is possible to make the world a better place. And we continue, because we know – every step we take helps preserve life, warmth, and hope.
One of the most special moments of our volunteer work has been receiving postcards from people abroad. In each one – warmth, support, and words of gratitude that reach our soldiers even across thousands of kilometers.
When we deliver these postcards to the front line, the soldiers are sincerely surprised and touched. For them, it is not just a postcard – it is a sign that people all over the world see them, value them, and support them. Sometimes they even translate and reread these messages several times to feel every single word.
These postcards remind us that help comes in many forms: it is not always material. Sometimes a kind word or a simple “thank you” can bring true support and lift spirits.
Andriy Hrytsevych, a serviceman who defended the country in the Kramatorsk and Sumy directions, shared his impressions about the postcards:
When I received postcards, I didn’t expect them to affect me so much. The drawings, the warm words of support – you feel that someone far away is thinking about us, believing in our victory.
I reread them several times because I wanted to feel every word. Sometimes I just look at the postcards, and it becomes easier, because I realize we are not alone. And I took a small handmade charm [that I received] into my car, and I believe it protects me.
Even on the hardest days, these postcards lift my spirits and give me strength. It feels like a little holiday in the middle of the front-line routine.
For us, this is proof that words drawn by a child’s hand, or written from the heart, can bring comfort and warmth even from thousands of kilometers away.
Ukraine is bravely fighting for freedom, independence, and peace on its land. Every day is a challenge for Ukrainians: people face shelling, the destruction of homes, the loss of loved ones, and shortages of food and medicine. It is especially hard for children and families in front-line towns, where the war changes lives forever.
In these difficult times, international support plays a huge role. Each of us can contribute to help Ukraine.
What Ukraine needs is support in the information space (sharing the truth on social media), humanitarian aid (medicine, supplies, donations to trusted charities).
It is very important to tell the world about the war in Ukraine, to share facts and the stories of people who fight for their land every day. The truth about Russia’s aggression: that this is not a “conflict” but a full-scale war, an invasion, and an attempt to destroy the Ukrainian people. It is crucial to make clear that Ukraine is fighting for its existence and freedom.
Letters, postcards, and words of support for soldiers raise morale and bring hope. Postcards often carry warm wishes, drawings, or simple words of gratitude that help people cope with stress and the feeling of isolation.
Volunteering during the war has shown me how much can be done if we act together. After victory, I want to continue helping people. I want peaceful life to be just as warm and united as our volunteer community has developed during the war.
Want to know more about Postcards to the Front? Join us at our upcoming Zoom gathering, Postcards That Carry Courage; a free information session co-hosted by DROK Academy and Kamloops Stands With Ukraine – IG: @kamloopswithukraine.
Saturday, December 20th @ 12noon EST | 9am Pacific
Register Now – https://forms.gle/ZVxq7wy9vQPvxFJt5
Space is open to all — invite friends, family, colleagues, students, members of your book club, and anyone who wants to learn how simple words can carry courage across oceans.
“You do not need to be near the wound to participate in care. What you need is steadiness—the commitment to show up with simple words that say: You are seen. You are remembered. You are not alone.”
Need ideas about what to write? Check our Tips page, and our Ukrainian phrases page.
Maybe you want to organize a group of family, friends or others to write postcards? Check our website for tips, How to Run a Postcard-Writing Workshop. Consider a group effort in the New Year, so that we can send a lot of messages of love and support in time to buoy up Defenders as February 22nd approaches: the 4th anniversary since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. No doubt, Defenders will appreciate some extra-special support at this time. Involve your children and grandchildren.
Have written postcards ready for shipment to Ukraine? Send them to us at —
Postcards to the Front | P. O. Box 184 | Millbrook, ON | L0A 1G0
Postcards to the Front (Canada / Канада) 
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