Arnold girl helps raise money for orphans in parents' homeland of Ukraine

Shady Side Academy freshman Avery Litwin found a new friend when she began tutoring English online to a 14-year-old Ukranian girl named Daria.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine.

Litwin was shocked by the reality of Daria’s new living conditions.

Litwin said Daria had to hang black curtains over her windows, and armed guards were outside manning the bridge that leads to her village.

“Her fear struck me very hard,” Litwin said. “Living here in Pittsburgh, I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.”

“I felt the need to help,” Litwin said. “Raising money for Ukrainian orphans is something I can do in my community. And I think it’s important to help in any way I can during this humanitarian crisis.”

Litman, Veronica Koval, Sophia Sandholm, and Maya Leyzarovich spearheaded the two-week nonperishable food and medical supply collection drive and daylong bake sale at the Shady Side Academy Senior Campus.

Collection locations were located around campus. The drive ends Friday.

Shady Side Academy has partnered with St. Peter and St. Paul Ukranian Orthodox Church in Carnegie and Nataliya European Food Market in Squirrel Hill to collect and store the items before they’re shipped to Ukraine.

Students and their families have donated hundreds of collected food items that include water-purifying tablets, dry cereal, peanut butter, protein bars and peanut butter.

Medical supplies include anything included in a standard first aid kit, but without any sharp objects.

Arnold student among the leaders

Koval is a sophomore who lives in Arnold; her parents were both born and raised in Ukraine. Koval’s dad is Father Yaroslav Koval, pastor of St. John the Baptist Ukranian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. Her mom is Oksana Koval.

“Those are my people. I have family and friends that are fleeing their homes when the day before they were just normal people,” Koval said. “As a high school student, there isn’t a lot I can do. But I think the response at SSA so far has shown that everyone is trying to help in their own little way.”

A bake sale held on campus raised more than $800 for the Smile of the Child Orphanage in Ukraine.

Koval said the goal of the collection is to spread awareness about the crisis, and she is hopeful there will be additional fundraisers.

“I think it’s sad that this is what it took for people to start caring about what was going on in Ukraine, but the support throughout the world has been pretty amazing,” Koval said.

Lindsey Myers, director of the Service Learning Club at SSA, said several students approached her about doing something to help the people of Ukraine.

“This collection drive gives the students a way to help and we have students here with ties to Ukraine,” Myers said.

Junior Maya Leyzarovich of Shadyside has Russian and Ukranian heritage.

She was motivated to help raise money and items for Ukraine after seeing several collections going on in her church and neighborhood.

Organizers hope people will realize that they can still help people impacted by war even if it’s distant or challenging.

“It’s powerful to see people coming together to help support those impacted by the war in Ukraine,” Leyzarovich said.

Sandholm, who is Finnish, is co-leader of the International Club at Shady Side Academy.

She said, as a European, she felt compelled to support Ukraine.

Sandholm co-organized the bake sale and additionally, organized a teach-in on campus and helped to create posters to share with students on campus.

“I’m a strong believer in the power of education in the understanding of this crisis and the prevention of future situations like this. I hope to hold discussions with the International Club and the SSA student body about the causes of the Ukrainian crisis,” Sandholm said.