Christmas Miracles Come in Many Forms: Christmas fundraiser for the children of Heroes

For many children around the world, a «Christmas miracle» means toys, sweets, or a new game. For children in Ukraine who have lost one or both parents to Russia’s full-scale invasion, it often looks much more basic — and far more urgent: winter boots that actually keep them warm, therapy that helps them sleep through the night, online lessons so they don’t fall behind at school, or medicines their family can’t afford. Even with so much hardship around them, these children deserve care and moments when their wishes come true.

«Christmas Miracles Come in Many Forms» is a seasonal campaign by the Children of Heroes Charity Fund, which provides long-term, comprehensive support to children who have lost a parent or caregiver as a result of the war in Ukraine. Since 2022, the fund has grown into one of the largest dedicated initiatives of its kind, supporting more than 15,000 children across the country with humanitarian, psychological, educational and medical assistance until they reach adulthood.

Every winter, the fund invites its beneficiary children to share their wishes for the holiday season. Some still dream of classic presents. Others write about very different “gifts”.

Maxym
The boy who wished for food for his cat

Maxym is 12. He lives in Nikopol, just five kilometers from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. His city has been under shelling for a long time, so he often spends weeks indoors, studying online. Many of his classmates have left, and his closest companion now is his cat, Asya.

When he was invited to write or draw a holiday wish letter, Maxym didn’t ask for a toy, gadget, or sweets. Instead, he wrote that he would like cat food for Asya – and only then, «maybe a few treats» for himself.

Through the Christmas Miracles Come in Many Forms campaign, donors made sure Asya has food for many weeks, and Maxym received a small gift as well. For a boy growing up next to a frontline city, being able to care for his cat is not just a kindness. It is a way to hold on to normal life and to the simple feeling that love still matters.

Anastasiia
The girl who wished for sweets she was allowed to eat

Anastasiia lives with her mother in a small town in Ukraine. Her father has been missing in action for a long time, and the family still has no news about him. They continue to hope for good news, but everyday life is a constant challenge.

Because of stress and anxiety, Anastasiia’s health has seriously worsened. Doctors diagnosed her with a heart condition and an autoimmune thyroid disease. She has a disability and needs regular tests, check-ups, and treatment. Her mother, who also has a disability, does everything she can to make sure her daughter feels safe and cared for.

Anastasiia cannot attend many activities, but she loves ceramics and modelling clay – it helps her calm down and feel like a child again. This summer she was able to go to camp for the first time, and it became a rare bright memory for both of them.

In her holiday wish letter, Anastasiia didn’t ask for a big surprise. She wrote that she would like «healthy sweets», because she is not allowed to eat ordinary candy – and she wanted to feel like other children for once.

Through the campaign, she received special sweets she can safely enjoy, as well as a small toy. That package brought a smile back to their home. For a family that has been through so much, it was a reminder that they are not forgotten – and that there is still room for joy.

Nicole
The girl who wished for light and color

Nicole is a first-grader who now lives with her mother in Dnipro. She is a very creative child: she loves hip-hop classes, enjoys drawing, and is happiest when she can make something with her own hands.

When she was four, Nicole’s father went missing in the war and never returned. Since then, her mother has been raising her alone, doing everything she can to keep her daughter safe and help her grow, even as they move between rented homes and juggle work and daily worries.

This year, when Nicole wrote her holiday wish letter, she didn’t ask for something expensive. She dreamed of a bracelet-making kit – to create her own small pieces of beauty – and a night projector, so that her room would be filled with soft, comforting «stars» before she fell asleep.

Through the Christmas Miracles Come in Many Forms campaign, Nicole received exactly these gifts. Now evenings mean beads, colorful strings and a sky of moving lights on her walls – and, most importantly, the feeling that her dreams matter and that someone, somewhere, is thinking about her future

Denys
The boy who found safety in a soft toy

Denys lives with his mother and little sister in the Kharkiv region. His father was killed in 2022, and his mum has been raising the children on her own ever since. The Children of Heroes Charity Fund has been supporting the family through this loss and helping them rebuild everyday life.

Denys is a curious, dreamy boy who loves dinosaurs. He reads about them, watches educational videos, and can list dozens of facts by heart. His favorite of all is the brachiosaurus. In his holiday wish letter, Denys wrote about just one thing he truly wanted: a big, soft brachiosaurus he could sleep with when he felt cold or afraid.

On the morning of 6 December, he found a different present under the tree and was visibly disappointed. But that evening, after a parcel arrived from the fund, his mum quietly placed a huge brachiosaurus under the Christmas tree. Denys’s joy was overwhelming – he hugged the dinosaur like a long-lost friend. Since then, they are inseparable: Denys eats with him, carries him around the house and falls asleep with his new companion in his arms, saying it is «the best gift of my life».

Light up kindness this Christmas

«Christmas Miracles Come in Many Forms» uses the emotional moment of the festive season to remind the world that for thousands of Ukrainian children, “normal childhood” has to be rebuilt from scratch — and that a Christmas gift can be more than a gesture. It can be one small but vital step towards safety, stability, and hope.

Through this campaign, together with our supporters, we help fulfil both symbolic childhood dreams and urgent needs. We want every child in our care to feel that this season holds at least one small miracle for them.

By joining the campaign, you can become part of that miracle for children who have already been through far too much, yet still dare to believe in kindness and a safer future.