The Common Man for Ukraine project is
run by the Plymouth Rotary Foundation in Plymouth, New Hampshire. It
outlines how a small, volunteer-driven effort expanded from a spontaneous meeting into a large-scale humanitarian operation focused
on Ukrainian children and families affected by war. Key figures include Alex Ray, his partners Lisa and Steve Brand, and on-the-ground
leadership such as Richard Wushin. The early
motivations were in February 2022, the initial matching pledge of $1,000,000 that could grow to about $2,000,000, and the strategic
decision to “do one thing well”: direct aid to children. It then describes two main programs—humanitarian aid convoys and trauma-focused
mental health retreats—along with the social, logistical, and emotional challenges of delivering aid in a war zone. The narrative also highlights
the evolution of needs (from safe houses for displaced children to aid for front-line villages), the Volunteer-driven model that relies on earned
media, and the expansion to include trauma counseling for mothers, creating a year-round network of care.

 

Location and scope:
• Warehouse and operations centered in Czom, Poland, with convoys to Ukraine and front-line regions near Kharkiv, Izium, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odessa.

• Deoccupied villages along the front lines are served after initial safe-house work evolved.

Logistics and safety:
• Each convoy typically uses about 20 tall Sprinter vans with 3 pallets of goods per vehicle; total convoys delivered: 54 humanitarian convoys.

• Packages require precise manifests, soil paper work, and letters confirming delivery to avoid black-market theft; border
checks are strict per Zelensky’s anti-corruption measures.

• Drivers are mostly Rotarians from Poland and broader EU; a pool of about 50 vetted drivers is maintained.

• Communication challenges include GPS scrambling by Russia and the need to use Russian GPS when near front lines.

• Drones and air raid sirens are a constant risk; convoys often shelter in bomb shelters during deliveries.

 

The Common Man for Ukraine project exemplifies a resilient, volunteer driven
humanitarian effort that rose from a table‑top conversation to a comprehensive, two-pronged program addressing both immediate material needs and deeper trauma among Ukrainian children and families. By focusing on children first, leveraging bipartisan, cross-border
partnerships (notably with Polish Rotarians and Ukrainian communities), and expanding to mothers, the initiative creates a durable
support network that operates year-round, even amid ongoing conflict.
The program demonstrates the power of earned media and grassroots philanthropy to mobilize substantial resources, while maintaining a clear
commitment to non-political, human-centered aid. Through food convoys, trauma counseling, and the transformative potential of community connection—evidenced in things like the Beanie Babies donations and cross-cultural interactions—the project seeks to foster resilience and hope for Ukraine’s youngest generations and their families as the war continues.