MONTPELIER, Vt. – At a candlelight vigil Tuesday, March 15, 2022, Governor Phil Scott signed H.717, an act relating to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, and announced that more than $640,000 of aid will go to Save the Children, a humanitarian organization dedicated to supporting children around the globe.
“We are here today to send a message to the people of Ukraine and to the tyrant in Russia: We stand united with Ukraine – for its freedom, and with its people,” Governor Scott said in his remarks. “The fact is, Ukraine’s fight to protect their people, their rights, and their land – and what that means for democracies across the globe – is too important for us to sit out. We must do our part.”
Governor Scott signed the bipartisan bill, which passed unanimously.
The State will contribute aid to Save the Children to support its efforts in Ukraine, which include responding to the health, nutrition, and educational needs of displaced children, protecting them and their families from harm, supporting access to shelter, and more.
Governor Scott has talked with the CEO of Save the Children, who verified that the organization has a presence in Ukraine and surrounding areas, relationships with key partners and experienced staff. This will ensure the Vermont aid will have a maximum benefit for Ukrainians.
On March 3, Governor Scott signed an Executive Order expressing support for the Ukrainian people and outlining steps the State would take in response to the Russian invasion of peaceful Ukraine, which included a request to the Vermont Legislature to pass a bill appropriating one dollar for every Vermonter for humanitarian efforts needed to support the people of Ukraine.
The Legislature acted quickly to pass H.717, allocating a total of $644,826; $643,077 representing one dollar from every Vermonter and $1,749 equaling the total amount of funds collected by the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery for the sale of Russian-sourced products from the start of the invasion to the date Governor Scott directed the state to discontinue the sale of these products.