Our Mission
Hugs From Friends connects communities in the United States and Ukraine by building friendship and hope through art, education, and cultural exchange.
Our Vision
Empower every Ukrainian child to dream, rise, and heal.
What we do:
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Collaborate with individuals, schools, businesses, and community organizations throughout the United States.
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Send artwork and messages of friendship to schools, humanitarian centers, and community organizations in Ukraine.
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Provide books, art supplies, musical instruments, clothing, and other needed items to schools and community partners.
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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.
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Encourage our partners to have conversations with their students about Ukraine, the war and why supporting Ukraine is important to the United States.
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Share the stories from our partners in Poland and Ukraine in the U.S. community.
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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
Trevor developed a deep interest in the geopolitics of the Baltic and Black Sea region while working for The U.S.-Baltic Foundation in Washington, DC. After volunteering with World Central Kitchen and Polish Humanitarian Action supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland in April 2022, Trevor wanted to find a way to continue helping those impacted by the war. Trevor and his wife and daughter reside in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Nataliya was born and raised in Ukraine and always strives to represent and serve her country no matter where she is, especially since the Russian invasion. She is an alumna of the Edward S. Muskie Fellowship Program (Muskie 2013).
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Dr. Pitchford was born and raised in Dnipro, Ukraine. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, she has been
actively advocating and participating in community and state initiatives to help Ukrainian refugees in Arkansas and Ukrainians back home. She currently serves as Division and Department Chair of the Business Department and Professor of Business at Central Baptist College, AR. Dr. Pitchford has been a Rotarian for the last 18 years. She is a member of the International Leadership Association and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Arkansas College Teachers of Economics & Business, as well as on the Board of Directors of Conway Corporation. She is married to Jeff Pitchford and has three daughters: Lizzie, Sophi and Macie.
Sam is a veteran, software engineer, grandfather, author, and advocate. He is passionate about supporting Ukraine and encouraging others to stand with Ukraine and her people as well. Sam and his wife, Karen, live in Northwest Arkansas.
Greta spent over a decade working at a children's health and wellness nonprofit in New York City, with a focus on Positive Psychology. She continues to work there as a consultant. Born in Lithuania, where her family resides, she is committed to supporting Ukraine in its universal struggle for democracy.
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Nicholas Terzulli is a New York City based attorney specializing in tax incentive financing and economic development. Nick serves a lector and religious educational teacher at St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic Church in East Meadow, New York. Raising awareness of the Russia-Ukrainian war in the United States and providing humanitarian support to Ukrainian children and families impacted by the war is important to Nick as his wife’s family is from Ukraine.
Sent 2,606 Pieces of Art to Ukraine
Sent 61 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 the Northwest Arkansas community and sent 2,234 Beanie Babies and pieces of art to children and families receiving support from Ukrainian NGO Voices of Children.
Project Warm Hug
Sent 593 hats, 22 scarves, 238 Beanie Babies, 14 winter jackets, 81 pairs of gloves, 30 sweaters, and 12 pairs of warm pants to 10 different communities in eight cities and villages in Ukraine.
Project Art Supplies
Sent art supplies to therapists who work with children displaced by the war.
NWA Naturals
Participated in 3 NWA Naturals Baseball Fundraisers 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 the “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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hugs From Friends a 501c3 non-profit organization?
Yes! We have 501c3 status, which means all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Do you want physical or digital copies of the artwork?
Either way works for us. You can mail physical copies of the artwork to Hugs From Friends at 1402 SE S Street, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712. You can also email digital copies to trevor@hugsfromfriends.org.
Who pays for creating the art and shipping it overseas?
Hugs From Friends will cover the costs of assembling the packages and shipping them overseas. We kindly request our partners to cover the expenses associated with creating the artwork and mailing it to Arkansas.
Will Hugs From Friends scan and keep digital copies of the art?
Yes. Once Hugs From Friends receives the art, we will scan the artwork in order to catalog it and possibly reprint it at a later date.
What will you do with the original artwork?
We will send the original artwork to Humanitarian Centers across Europe, as well as to schools and participating organizations in Ukraine.
Will you post art online or on social media?
Yes, we may post some of the art on our social media pages as a way to promote Hugs From Friends and showcase the amazing artwork we receive.
How many pieces of art do I have to send?
As many as you want! There is not a minimum number of pieces. Even one piece makes a difference!
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