The Vest Project in North Bay, Ont., gifted piece of Russian warplane for efforts to help Ukraine

A non-profit group in North Bay, Ont., got an interesting Christmas gift this year: a piece of a Russian warplane.

Since The Vest Project launched in March, it has raised $85,000 to purchase protective gear for front-line defenders in Ukraine. The initiative was co-founded by Lori Burns and Cindie D'Agostino, both of Nipissing District near North Bay.

The two created the initiative after friends spoke about their family back home in Ukraine who had been displaced because of the war with Russia.

Money is collected in Canada and then is wired to other charities in Ukraine to purchase bulletproof vests, helmets, night vision goggles and other protective equipment.

"We buy in Ukraine what we can buy to help generate their economy, and we also buy in Europe when things are available, and before we wire or purchase anything we check to see what the need of the day is," D'Agostino said.

"It's our moral duty to outfit as many freedom fighters as possible," Burns said in the original news release about creating the Vest Project.

"Since many governmental and non-governmental organizations are focusing on humanitarian aid, we decided to put our efforts into raising funds to support the purchase of non-lethal, protective gear," the March release also stated.

On Dec 27, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHC) released a count of civilian casualties related to the war in Ukraine. Between Feb 24 and Dec 26, 6,884 people have died. The number of injured was 10,947. The OHCHR said most of the civilian casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons.

D'Agostino said the supplies and gear they are able to purchase for front-line soldiers are constantly being destroyed and need to be restocked often.

"We do have some guidance as far as what their needs are or what they're lacking or what we could possibly help them with," she added.

As a 'thank you' for the fundraising effort, the KOLO Charity Foundation in Ukraine sent The Vest Project a piece of metal from a Russian fighter jet, which had been shot down in the Kyiv region in March 2022.

D'Agostino said they would like to sell the gift to help raise even more money for their efforts in Ukraine.

"To re-invest in Ukraine as far as purchasing more non-lethal gear in order to support front-line defenders. So if we were to really generate some money from this just because it's so dire, and there are so many more veterans that are enlisting every day over there. They really do need more equipment," she said.

There's also been a suggestion to put the piece of metal in a museum in North Bay.

"Our main goal is to help folks in Ukraine, and if we can generate some more money and purchase some more gear for them, that's what we'll do," D'Agostino said.

"We'll be in it until they win it," she said of continuing the Vest Project into 2023. Although D'Agostino admits she and the other volunteers with the initiative are worried about Ukrainian troops as the winter sets in.

"I can't imagine living in a place where there are drones flying over your head and you're not sure if something's going to land on your house or not. There's no water, they have no heat, and I just can't imagine having to live like that."

"That's what keeps us going," D'Agostino said.

Military not humanitarian aid

There's just one problem with all the efforts over the past 10 months from The Vest Project. 

D'Agostino said they haven't been able to get a charitable donation number from the Canada Revenue Agency to be able to provide charitable receipts to donors.

"Although we have nothing illegal in what we purchase, they consider us under a military umbrella and will not allow us to give tax receipts," she said, adding that groups that provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine are able to get tax receipts.

"When our friends were trying to find (protective) equipment for their friends that are in Ukraine these were the things that they were trying to source out to buy," D'Agostino said.

"Humanitarian aid is covered by big corporate donations and so this (donations for military equipment) is the missing piece of the puzzle over there."

"It would change things for us for sure but [not getting tax receipts] hasn't stopped people from donating," D'Agostino said.

The Vest Project is holding a community pot-luck dinner Friday night in North Bay. It will include about 100 Ukrainian newcomers and their host families.

"We're going to get Ukrainians to meet Ukrainians because it's got to be very scary for people...and the families who are hosting other Ukrainian families can also meet and start a good network."