Courtesy photo Boyd Byelich is seen attending an art class for children in Mykolaiv, Ukraine in December. Byelich is pictured with a child who was displaced from Kherson, Ukraine which is a front line city.

ALPENA — Boyd Byelich, a Northeast Michigan resident from Rogers City, recently returned from his 23rd trip to Ukraine as part of his mission to distribute aid to children and individuals displaced by the Russian/Ukranian war.

Byelich started his nonprofit One Box in 2021 after returning from his first trip to Poland where he volunteered at a refugee camp. One Box’s mission is to collect and deliver aid to people displaced or affected by war and natural disasters. Though Byelich’s focus has been on supporting those affected by the Russian/Ukranian war, One Box serves those in Michigan and in other parts of the country.

He explained that he called his nonprofit One Box when he discovered a way to ship clothing, hygiene products, and other aid to people in Ukraine.

“I learned that I could ship a box … for 50 bucks,” he said. “Within two weeks, it would be at that refugee center. So I got the word out there and people started donating clothing primarily.”

He explained that his past trip to Ukraine occurred in December for the Christmas season. Byelich visited various cities, classrooms, and orphanages within 17 days to deliver backpacks stuffed with clothes and other items.

He added that each year he visits Ukraine and his contacts there in August and in December to deliver hygiene kits and “Christmas backpacks.”

“I typically always go in August, to meet with kids and get them school supplies, and then I go at Christmas time with the Christmas backpacks,” Byelich said.

He explained that his non-profit also puts together “hygiene kits” which he said are “also always needed.”

“I will include those things in almost every parcel I send,” Byelich added. “Now I send to specific orphanages or shelters or rehabilitation centers.”

Byelich explained that his nonprofit works with Hospice of Michigan to send unused medical supplies to hospice centers in Ukraine.

“Hospice of Michigan will pass on to me unused items because they can’t take them back when they’ve been issued to a patient here, even though it’s brand new,” he said. “We found they can use them (in Ukraine).”

Byelich added that he vets all the organizations he sends donations to prior to ensuring that aid is being distributed to the people who need those items.

“I go in person and I vet each location that aid is going to,” he said. “I don’t just blindly send anything anywhere.”

Byelich said that he has experienced bombings in Ukraine and the dangers of the frontline near cities such as Kharkiv. He explained that Ukrainian citizens have become desensitized to the bombings and try to continue on with their lives despite the ongoing war.

“There’s air raid sirens all the time and occasionally even in Kiev, I’ve seen missiles come by and hit buildings near me,” he said.

Byelich explained that there are blackouts often across the country as the energy infrastructure of Ukraine has been targeted the most.

He said that the Ukrainian military is at a disadvantage simply because of its size, though it has been innovative in creating weapons to fight against the Russian military.

Byelich added that he doesn’t believe that the United States should get involved “militarily” with Ukraine by sending troops, though he said he believes aid is still important.

ONE BOX ACCOMPLISHMENTS

– Collected and delivered more than 38,000 items of clothing to people in Ukraine.

– Delivered 36 loads of food, hygiene products, medical supplies, school supplies, Christmas gifts for 1,700 children.

– Oranized three semi-truck loads of hay from Michigan farmers, which were sent to farmers affected by the flooding in North Carolina in 2024 and 2025.

– Provided a grant to the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan, which was used to distribute food and toiletries to 1,400 utility linemen; replace perishable food items and purchase solar lanterns for 160 senior citizens.

Those interested in donating to One Box can contact Byelich at 307-286-4807 or via email at oneboxforhumanity@gmail.com.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.