Let’s go to Guatemala! Kerstin McKitrick and her husband Fred would like to take you to Guatemala to experience its rich history and culture and its fabulous food in an intimate group of up to 14 people.

The trip dates are March 12 to 18, 2023 – 7 days, six nights. The tour will focus on Antigua (three days) and Lake Atitlan (three days). The objective is to have a joy-filled travel experience with like-minded people. The trip is designed for people from our Unity by the Shore community and is open to people outside our community. It is organized by Kerstin McKitrick and is also a fundraiser for UBTS (once we exceed six travelers).

A brief sampling of activities and tours:

• Antigua history and food tour; visit the bustling local market, taste local fruit, pastries and coffee…
• Coffee plantation tour – get a pound of coffee gift
• Mayan village with a presentation of weaving textiles – have lunch with the village women
• Lake Atitlan boat tour and visiting authentic lake villages 
• Beautiful lake view restaurant lunch visit
• and so much more!

We have a discounted price of $1,900 p.p. (double occupancy – excluding flight). Payment plan option available also – see brochure for details.

Let’s create some new memories together! 

Please contact Kerstin McKitrick at 732-757-5181 (cell), or [email protected] with any questions.

Want to help, but unsure how? Don’t know who to trust? Below are a handful of nonprofits and charitable foundations with a history of success and transparent reporting. 

Download a browser extension to translate foreign language websites into your preferred language. Follow the link here.

Medical support

• RAZOM: Emergency Response – for tactical medical training. Help qualified war medics teach civilians first aid and provide them with medical supplies.
• United Help Ukraine –  for provision of life-saving individual first aid kits (IFAKs containing blood-stopping bandages and tourniquets) and other emergency medical supplies to the front.
• Sunflower of Peace – for medical assistance and other necessities. Each IFAK (medical backpack) can save up to 10 lives.
• Lifeline Ukraine – for psychosocial support. Ukraine’s first suicide prevention hotline mobilized in response to alarming rates of veteran suicide.

Veterans and internally displaced persons

• People in Need: SOS Ukraine – for provision of food and sanitation packages, emergency shelter, psychosocial support, and more in Donetsk and Luhansk, both in territory under the control of the Ukrainian government and in territory not currently under government control.
• UN Crisis Relief: Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund – contributions are collected into a single, unearmarked fund and managed locally under UN leadership. As crises evolve, funds are made directly and immediately available to a wide range of partner organizations at the front lines of response. This way, funding reaches the people most in need when they need it.
• Revived Soldiers Ukraine – for provision of medical aid and sustainable living standards to wounded soldiers and members of their families.  
• Ukrainian People With Disabilities in Crisis – helps Ukrainians with disabilities – especially those who want but cannot evacuate – protect themselves in case of emergency. 
• Caritas Ukraine – provision of humanitarian assistance to various social groups and those impacted by the conflict. More information here.
• Ukrainian LGBT Military for Equal Rights Association – support LGBT military in their fight on the frontline and for equality of all citizens at home. 
• CrimeaSOS – assistance to internally displaced persons from Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. With the support and partnership of UNHCR, it promotes community initiatives for these groups.
• British-Ukraine Aid – assistance to vulnerable individuals who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged, including the injured and wounded, orphaned children, the elderly, internally displaced persons and families who have lost their main earners. More information here.

English-language media

• Kyiv Independent – repeat subscription/small donation here and one time donation here
• Ukraine Crisis Media Center – international strategic communications hub with active outreach to audiences both in Ukraine and abroad. 
• New Voice of Ukraine 

Children

• Voices of Children – psychological/psychosocial support for children affected by the war.
• Save the Children – Ukraine – distribute essential humanitarian aid to children and their families; deliver winter and hygiene kits; provide cash grants to families so they can meet basic needs like food, rent and medicines; provide access to safe, inclusive, quality education; work to help children overcome the mental and psychological impacts of conflict.
• Saint Javelin – all proceeds of shirt and sticker sales go to a fund for the children of fallen and wounded Ukrainian soldiers. 
• Toy Drive for the Children of Fallen Heroes – provides assistance for displaced people, orphans, and families of Ukrainian military who died or were hurt in action. Volunteers in Ukraine learn about needs on the ground and pass information on to us.

Education

• Ukrainian Leadership Academy – an educational program that aims to develop a generation of young leaders for Ukraine and the world. Over the course of a gap year, young adults learn to work in a team, set goals, develop projects, take responsibility for their lives and the country’s fate, and choose their future profession more consciously.
• Ukrainian Catholic University Foundation –  invest in the lives of young and talented future leaders of Ukraine and the diaspora.
• Veteranius – help teach and employ veterans, volunteers and internally displaced persons in the IT sector and involve them in socially important projects. 
• Bohdan Radchenko Stipend for Veterans – tuition for a Master’s at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (KMA), Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU).

Help support the seeding and funding
of new chairs for our sanctuary!

Even though our fundraiser has ended, you can still contribute to the UBTS Community by clicking on the GIVE NOW button on the top of this page. All contributions will go toward the operating expenses of our community.

Here is what you can do:

• Seed a seat:  Each $60 financial blessing from you will cover the cost for one chair. You are welcome to seed more than one.
• With the purchase of each chair, you can commemorate a loved one or a life-event with your spot in our commemorative and celebratory slideshow that the very talented Matt Denton is putting together.
• You can commemorate a loved one (human, furry, feathered, other) or a life-event per slide. Alternatively, you can provide an inspirational saying or a prayer that has meaning to you.
• If you want to provide your own image for the slideshow, then please email it as soon as possible to Matt Denton at [email protected].  If an image is not provided in seven days of your chair purchase, then Matt will choose a beautiful one for you. 
• There is no limit to the number of chairs you can and wish to seed.
• You can contribute any amount you choose without commemorating a loved one or a life-event. All contributors will get a mention on the slideshow (unless you wish to remain anonymous). 

The Deadline to participate and contribute is February 28, 2022. 

Early contributors, who act quickly, are much appreciated and will be placed first on our slide show. 

Are you ready to go? Let’s do this!

Have Questions?
Visit our FAQs page.

Reimagining CommUnity

Birthing a New Paradigm

September 26th – Oct 1st 2021

Full conference – $257
Individual sessions – $47
Valarie Kaur’s session – $57

Registration is open!

Registration and More Information: https://www.unityeasternregion.org/fallconference-2021/