Hugs From Friends is a not-for-profit organization encouraging children in the United States to create artwork to show support for Ukrainian children and families that have been impacted by the war.
What We Do
Collaborate with individuals, schools, businesses, community organizations and individuals throughout the United States.
Send the artwork to schools and community organizations in Ukraine.
Empower kids to use their creativity to directly help kids and families impacted by the war.
Facilitate introduction between schools in U.S. and Ukraine, to create student to student interaction.
Encourage our partners to have conversations with their students about Ukraine, the war and why supporting Ukraine is important to the United States.
Share the stories from our partners in Poland and Ukraine in the U.S. community.
Sponsor virtual teacher-development workshop which are offered by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Our Story
Hugs From Friends, is an all-volunteer initiative, started by Trevor Dane, after his experience volunteering with World Central Kitchen and visiting the Humanitarian Aid Center in Przemysl, Poland.
Being in a refugee center is very powerful and invokes many emotions. You truly see the human toll of war first hand. What surprised Trevor the most was the children’s artwork that covered the walls of the building. Some of the artwork was created by children in the Center but other artwork came from kids from different countries. The art was a visible sign of support, solidarity and friendship to the Ukrainian people. Unfortunately, Trevor didn’t see many pieces of art that looked like it came from kids in the United States, so he wanted to do something about that.
Board of Directors
Accomplishments to Date
Sent 2,009 Pieces of Art to Ukraine
Sent 31 packages of art to schools and community organizations across Ukraine.
37 Partners in the U.S. and Canada
Received artwork from schools, places of worship, museums, and businesses.
Awareness in the NWA Community
Participated in 21 events in the NWA community to drive awareness about the war in Ukraine, including NWA Love Project, Bentonville Together, and International Festival at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
Project 1,000 Hugs
Partnered with Northwest Arkansas community and sent 1,000 Beanie Babies and pieces of art to children and families receiving support from Ukrainian NGO Voices of Children.
NWA Naturals
Participated in the NWA Naturals Baseball Fundraiser to build awareness in the community.
Fundraiser for Novyi Bykiv school in Chernihiv
2023 Ukrainian Independence Day at Crystal Bridges Museum
Shared and celebrated the power of art at “Exploring the Power of Art on Ukrainian Independence Day” evening program.
NWA 4 Ukraine: An Evening of Peace, Love & Support
Partnered with the Arkansas Arts Academy in Rogers to organize a community-wide event on the one-year anniversary of the war to raise awareness about the war and create student-to-student relationship in Chernihiv.