Last year, local resident and businesswoman Alexandrina Mic-Podar, who was born in Romania, partnered with local and international charity AMAR to collect hand-knit scarves and hats for refugee children flooding into Romania from Ukraine. This year, she and others are redoubling their efforts to help the situation in Europe. 

“This is an opportunity to warm not only their heads but also their hearts,” Mic-Podar said.

The origins of AMAR

Mic-Podar is helping with the second Hats and Scarves for Ukrainian Children drive, working again through U.S. Friends of AMAR, the American arm of London-based charity AMAR International Charitable Foundation. 

In 1991, British baroness Emma Nicholson founded AMAR, which loosely means “builder” in Arabic, to provide relief to Iraqis persecuted by Saddam Hussein. On the drive’s Facebook page, Mic-Podar describes AMAR as a “30-year-old organization dedicated to assisting people in refugee settings worldwide.”

In the ensuing decades, the organization has provided healthcare, education and emergency relief to millions of displaced and vulnerable people in the Middle East and beyond. AMAR, whose official patron is none other than King Charles III of England, has also maintained a presence in Mic-Podar’s native Romania, helping orphans and special needs children to integrate into society. 

In the 90s, the baroness met Salt Lake Valley residents who eventually formed US Friends of AMAR, which also collaborates with LDS Charities. Mic-Podar, who still has family in Romania, has been a tremendous supporter of AMAR since she met Nicholson in 2021. 

The hat and scarf drive begins

Last year, AMAR personnel in Romania watched Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion pour over the border. They reached out to Nicholson and requested hats and scarves for the Ukrainian refugee children there. The goal was to provide warmth in addition to a personal connection with a handmade gift from someone half a world away. “I have never seen anyone more passionate about bringing warmth… and a human connection to the kids than Baroness Emma,” Mic-Podar said. Nicolson requests that a handwritten note from its creator accompany every item. 

Last year, Nicholson asked U.S. Friends of AMAR board member D. Louise Brown for 300 items, and Brown became the director of the hat and scarf project. Rather than being daunted, Brown thought, “This is Utah! We can make more!” She then enlisted Mic-Podar’s help.

Ultimately, U.S. Friends of AMAR shipped no fewer than 3,000 hand-made items for children thousands of miles away to enjoy. 

The need never ends

“The situation in Ukraine and Romania has stayed the same from last year to this year. These beautiful children need our help,” Mic-Podar said via Facebook. “[Emma] truly believes that a handmade gift speaks to the soul and sends the message that someone is thinking of them somewhere.”

Last month, 5,000 hats and scarves were delivered to Cache Valley-based Juniper Systems, Inc. for shipment to Europe. “That's 5,000 smiles on the faces of our young Ukrainian friends when they receive your gifts in time for Christmas. So wonderful!” Brown said via Facebook. 

AMAR aims to deliver the first batch of scarves and hats before St. Nicholas Day, which is on Dec. 6. In many European nations, St. Nicholas Day is a significant holiday where children and those in need receive gifts. The day marks the beginning of the general holiday season. 

Because the need is ongoing, Brown, Mic-Podar and U.S. Friends of AMAR hope to receive even more donations by the end of January. “Our work presses on,” Brown said. “It's still winter, and there are still children in need.”

On the drive’s Facebook page, members share ideas, tutorials and photos, and other Facebook users have reached out from all over to join the effort, including a resident of England who didn’t realize the group was in the U.S. 

You can still help if you don’t knit or crochet

Mic-Podar and other volunteers also work with local religious women’s organizations, church congregations, high school groups, seniors and individuals. The project was also recently featured on ABC’s lifestyle show, Good Things Utah.

“The parameters are the same [as last year]: [items] for children 3 to 16 years old, handmade with double yarn for warmth,” Mic-Podar said. “Please include a short note of love and encouragement with your first name.”

However, the overwhelming number of donated hats has necessitated an appeal for scarves to go with them. “The response for hats has been so tremendous… We presently do not need hats, but do need scarves very much,” Brown said. 

Those who don’t knit or crochet have donated yarn, supplies, transportation and money for shipping costs. For questions about the drive or to donate, contact D. Louise Brown at (801) 682-0691 or Alex Mic-Podar at [email protected]. Visit the Facebook group Hats & Scarves Project for Ukrainian Children by AMAR at https://www.facebook.com/groups/hatsandscarvesforukraine.

“Take a moment and rejoice,” Brown said. “We've collectively accomplished something very good.”

For more information about AMAR or U.S. Friends of AMAR, visit amarfoundation.org or usfriendsofamar.org.