Heritage Health counselor returns from Ukraine

Jared Malone’s volunteer mission to help the people of Ukraine was a resounding success.

The Heritage Health counselor recently returned from a six-week volunteer mission in Ukraine, raising more than $100,000 to help evacuees – mainly through his social media posts.

“We accomplished a lot,” said Malone, a former enlisted Marine. “But there is so much work that needs to be done. This effort is just the beginning of the journey. Ukraine is a total war zone.”

The money helps fund a new 5,000-square-foot shelter and buys food for evacuees. The building provides sleeping space, kitchens and showers.

Malone also delivered medical supplies from Heritage Health to Chevnihiv, a city in northern Ukraine.

“Some of the worst fighting was in Chevnihiv,” Malone said. “I am grateful Heritage Health was able to help.”

In securing the shelter, Malone established a network within Ukraine to maximize relief efforts and he create a food delivery system that is feeding hundreds of families. He connected with religious and community leaders who were grateful for the assistance.

“I learned so much from this experience,” Malone said. “It has helped me grow as a person.”

Heritage Health CEO Mike Baker praised Malone’s dedication to making a difference,

“Jared’s story is amazing,” Baker said. “We’re proud of what he was able to accomplish and it shows that we have the best people working for Heritage Health.”

Malone, who served two combat tours in Iraq, assisted in evacuating Ukrainian families from towns shelled by artillery and missiles. He spent five days and nights in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “It is a lot different being in a city facing encirclement and constant bombardment than serving in combat. I wasn’t there to fight a war and I had to remind myself of that during difficult situations. Yes, I was frustrated that I couldn’t do more, but I realized that none of the important work I was there for would get done if I died.”

Malone also used his experience and education to teach about 200 religious and community leaders a trauma class.

“Everyone in Ukraine is experiencing trauma,” he said. “If you approach people the wrong way, it can worsen that trauma. My objective was to teach them how to communicate with people and what to look for when they see children behaving a certain way.”

Malone helped establish Project Victory, a nonprofit organization founded by Idaho veterans to provide humanitarian aid to people in high-conflict regions. The group plans to send another team to Ukraine soon with medical supplies and food.

Go to gofundme.com/victoryukraine to donate.