For me, volunteering is an opportunity to do good and provide assistance to those in need. I believe in the power of collective action and the possibility of improving the lives of others through our efforts.

My volunteering journey began with an invitation from my leader to join this incredibly important cause. His words about how volunteering can change the world encouraged me to take action and make the world a better place.

As a volunteer, I participate in the "Shabbat Guest" project. This initiative allows me to meet different people, help them, and provide support. Each encounter reminds me of how important it is to help people in difficult times.

Although my volunteering experience has been quite successful, sometimes I face challenges in my personal life that hinder my participation in projects. However, I always strive to find time for volunteer initiatives.

Hello, my name is Dasha, I'm 19 years old. I completed courses in hairdressing. Volunteering has become an important part of my life thanks to the coordinator of the Volunteer Center. She offered me to participate in the "Blanket of a Thousand Hearts" project. At first, we started knitting squares at home, and then I became an active member of the Krivoy Rog Volunteer Community. My first experience included participating in the "Day of Good Deeds," where I helped other hairdressers braid girls' hair. I am very grateful to the organizers for the opportunity to take part in this initiative. Now I eagerly come to the volunteer center because each time there is an opportunity to do good deeds here. We bake challah, visit grandmas and grandpas, and prepare delicious treats to help our children. Recently, we donated equipment for premature babies to the maternity ward, and it was an incredible experience. Volunteering brings me joy and satisfaction from the opportunity to help those in need. I want to wish all of us inspiration, new amazing projects, positivity, and indescribable emotions! Thank you for doing good deeds and providing the opportunity to join you in this wonderful world of volunteering!

For me, volunteering is voluntary assistance and support that benefits others without expecting rewards. Hello, I am a volunteer with Volunteer Community (Dnipro). My journey into volunteering began with a desire to help others, and my first volunteer experience was with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine. That's when I realized how rewarding it is to assist other people and hear words of gratitude from them. This motivated me to continue on my path of volunteerism. Today, despite time constraints, I participate in all the center's initiatives, from targeted assistance to global projects.

In my opinion, volunteering contributes to personal growth, reveals the best human qualities, helps establish personal connections, and immerses one in the life and traditions of the community. It's a wonderful experience of self-discovery and an opportunity to change oneself and one's environment for the better.

My name is Katya, and I have been a volunteer for about a year.

It's important to me because I want to feel that I contribute to the well-being of people who need help or attention. I also simply enjoy participating in social projects, and I really want to dedicate even more time to volunteering—interacting with the people we visit with Shabbat kits or engaging with children who are displaced and organizing various activities for them.

It charges me with energy and inspires me to live.

My name is Anatoly. I have graduated from Kiev National Agricultural University as a zoo engineer. Since 2015 I do my best in household reparations in the framework of the project “House Master”, fixing furniture and household devices. For me volunteering is an opportunity to help people in need, to realize myself, and also my abilities.

My volunteer journey with the Kryvyi Rih Volunteer Community began in 2023 when my family and I were invited to participate in the "Day of Good Deeds" quest. Currently, I participate in our center's projects whenever possible, including "Interaction," "Sewing Studio," "Embroidered Fate or the Nation's Code," and "Charity Box."

Since childhood, my parents, through their example, instilled in me the awareness of the importance of selfless help to those in need. Their care for others has always been a reflection of the kind of person I want to be. Now, I feel a responsibility to my son. Watching my activities, I want him to understand the importance of doing good and helping others. Volunteering has become a way to teach my son important life values.

Mark Twain once said, "We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it — and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again, and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore." The belief that kindness can save our world inspires me every day. I believe that every act of kindness (even one that may seem insignificant at first) contributed to society helps change the world for the better.

My volunteering story began when I quit my job. To get rid of negative thoughts, I decided to go through the rest of the yarn. These leftovers were very small balls, and I was sorry to throw them away. I wanted to knit something small and cute. In search of schemes for crafts, I looked on the Internet and came across the "28 loops” club in Ukraine. I found a coordinator in the city of Krivoy Rog. At the moment, for almost 2 years I have been a volunteer in the "Tangle of Kindness" in the city of Krivoy Rog. I don’t know if it’s a lot or a little, but for me this time was full of new pleasant acquaintances and good deeds. I did not count how many hats, socks and plaid vests I knitted. But I always knitted with good wishes and a part of myself. Give away a particle of the kindness of your soul, and it will turn into a large one and unite with other particles. Thus, goodness and light will never disappear.

I am Yulia Tabakina, a practical psychologist at Krivoy Rog Lyceum No. 24 and a consultant for the Hotline of Psychological Support in Krivoy Rog. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I have taken an active public stance and chosen areas of activity where I can be helpful. I provide free psychological assistance, consultations, and create psychological programs to support children and youth. I also actively participate in various charitable actions, runs, and projects.

Since 2023, I have joined the friendly and creative team of the Kryvyi Rih Volunteer Community, where I lead the "Читануті" Book Club. The club was created to popularize Ukrainian literature, the Ukrainian language, modern authors, and reading in general. We organize events where people can exchange books, donate them to hospitals, or recycle them. With the funds raised, we can finance various projects of our center.

In the future, I plan to expand the club's boundaries to include lectures, training sessions, educational events, support groups, and events on various psychological topics. I aim to organize a book club for children and teenagers, where they will not only read books but also discuss them with a psychological basis, exploring topics that contribute to the development of emotional and social intelligence. Additionally, I plan to create a reading group for people with special needs or other vulnerable groups.

Hello, my name is Anait Yermenko. I became a volunteer because I enjoy helping other people. I have always helped my family and loved ones, but at a certain point, I wanted to do something more significant for our society. That's when I joined the volunteering activities of the Nikolaev "Noeck" and started participating in various projects.

Thanks to volunteering, I have become more responsible and creative, as we have to solve a variety of tasks. At the same time, I have gained a lot of new knowledge and skills, become more socially active, and met wonderful people. My life has become more interesting and fulfilling.

During my volunteering experience, I have participated in various projects and initiatives: "Family Volunteering," "Interaction," "Young Volunteer," "Lest We Forget," "Wings of Kindness," and many others. We helped children, elderly people, displaced persons, collected food packages, stationery, clothing, and other necessary items for those in need.

Despite the undeniable benefits of volunteering, there are also certain challenges. Often, we encounter negative psychological factors because we closely interact with our wards and take all their problems to heart. It can be difficult, but when you receive words of gratitude, it feels like you're growing wings behind your back! Any volunteer will confirm that there is nothing more motivating than seeing the happy eyes of the people you've helped! I am grateful to fate for opening the path of volunteering to me!

Volunteering for me is about assistance, collaboration, and compassion. Hello, my name is Natalia Kobzar, and I am a volunteer. For me, volunteering means providing help, collaborating, and showing compassion. Whenever I have free time, I always seek opportunities to assist those in need.

I enjoy bringing joy to the center's beneficiaries by visiting them as part of the "Shabbat Guest" project. I also like interacting with other people and participating in projects that contribute to spiritual development and mutual understanding. For me, "being a volunteer" means helping others and deriving immense pleasure from it!

My name is Alina and I am a volunteer. My involvement in the voluntary movement began back in 2019 with the very first "School of Volunteers". Then I realized that volunteering is not only about helping those who need it, but it also brings me emotional satisfaction. I started by helping children: holding numerous master classes and lectures, so that they could understand their emotions and mental state, not be afraid of them, as clarity brings relief. Currently, my volunteer work is connected with people of the golden age. I am very glad that I have the opportunity to help and bring joy to people during such a difficult time. Looking back at my experience, I believe that I am just starting my journey as a volunteer, and there are even bigger and better opportunities ahead of me.

I am a director of the juridical and consulting firm “ Law Craft” . Very much I am interested in a question of social business, because I consider that it isn’t enough for our country of it. Also I am interested in all ecological LVC projects. We, volunteers, have created the Council of Volunteers at the Jewish community of Lviv which I was entrusted to lead. I like to help people around, especially it is pleasant when these people begin to help the others.