Toy Mountain donates gifts to Ukrainian refugees in Canada for the holidays

Tens of thousands of toys will be delivered to less fortunate families in Ottawa this Christmas thanks to Toy Mountain. Some of these gifts will hold special meaning when they arrive in the hands of Ukrainian refugees.

Natalia Kuksa and her nine-year-old son Ivan have been in Canada for seven months, escaping the war in Ukraine.

"It's our first Christmas in Canada," Kuksa said. "We always celebrate with a lot of friends because in Ukraine we have a lot of friends. Similar friends for Ivan."

This Christmas will be much different. It will be their first Christmas spent without Ivan's father, who could not come to Canada with them.

"Now he is in the military to protect our country and he doesn't have the possibility to leave the country," Kuksa said.

Ivan, like many refugee children arriving in Canada, hopes to receive toys for Christmas. That's where Toy Mountain comes in. The Salvation Army and Toy Mountain are donating toys to more than 200 Ukrainian families this holiday season.

"They're in a new place. They don't have anything or not much of anything, really," said Marc Provost, the Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre Executive Director. "Everything is strange to them. And so, just having toys and its Christmas, having something somewhat familiar, somewhat normal, makes a big difference."

Currently, there are roughly 10,000 refugees from Ukraine in Ottawa. 

Mike Ryndzak, Vice President of the Ukrainian Canadian Social Services, said, "Children from Ukraine, we wanted to make sure that all of them receive a special touch more than anything else."

On Dec. 18, all of the toys from Toy Mountain will be handed out to refugee children at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The refugees are also giving back.

"Every child has been asked to do donate something small, like mittens or socks, so we can collect in our organization. We will send to the orphanage to those children who do not have parents," Ryndzak said.

For Natalia and her son Ivan, it won't be the Christmas they are used to, but they are grateful for what they have.

"I hope St. Nicholas in Christmas will get some presents for us, yeah?" Natalia said. "Yeah," replied Ivan.

Those interested in helping Ukrainian refugee families get toys this Christmas can visit the Ottawa branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Social Services website.