For Kyiv, this winter was cold not only because of the weather. Constant attacks on energy infrastructure left thousands of people without light and heat in their own homes. In high-rise apartment buildings where elevators no longer worked, many residents, especially older people, became trapped. Unable to reach warming centers, they were left to endure the cold in their apartments.

To support those most affected, Ukraine2Power launched its emergency heating kit initiative. Throughout January, February, and March, volunteers organized more than thirty distribution missions across different districts of Kyiv, delivering assistance directly to people’s homes.

Every kit was handed over personally — from hand to hand — to a specific individual or family. Volunteers often climbed many flights of stairs to reach residents living on upper floors who could not leave their apartments due to health conditions or the lack of functioning elevators.

The contents of the kits varied depending on needs and equipment availability. They included items such as electric blankets, warm sleeping bags, camping gas stoves with fuel cartridges, power banks, chemical hand warmers, and heated shoe insoles. These items helped people stay warm, prepare hot meals, and keep their phones charged during prolonged power outages.

The initiative began after Ukraine2Power’s Co-Founder and CEO recorded a video message in German about the situation in Kyiv. In it, she explained that behind the festive winter scenes and Christmas markets shown abroad, there was another reality: thousands of people quietly freezing in their apartments, unable to keep warm.

Initially, the team hoped to raise around €5,000 to purchase basic emergency kits. The response exceeded all expectations. Ordinary people across Germany answered the call, followed by associations, companies, and publishing houses that also began contributing donations. Thanks to this extraordinary wave of solidarity, Ukraine2Power raised far more than originally anticipated, allowing the program to expand significantly and reach many more people in need.

The effort was also supported by partners and volunteers, including the Ukrainian organization Help for Ukraine, whose team helped pack and distribute the kits.

The program continues, as the need remains significant.

For many recipients, these packages represent more than warmth. They are a reminder that they are not facing the cold alone.