FAMILY

David Leavitt heads to Ukraine to help donor find 500 families to support

May 10, 2022, 5:00 AM
Leavitt cannibalism criminal justice reform...
FILE -- Utah County Attorney David Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the Utah County Commission Chambers in Provo Wednesday January 23, 2019. Photo credit: Deseret News

UTAH COUNTY, Utah — Utah County Attorney David Leavitt is heading to Ukraine to help an anonymous donor select 500 families to support for an entire year.

“He wants to be generous, but he doesn’t necessarily want the credit for it,” Leavitt said. 

Finding 500 families to support

To help with this generous donation, Leavitt will be on the ground in Ukraine trying to identify those 500 families. Once the families are identified, Leavitt says Visa gift cards will be provided to each family for immediate financial assistance until bank accounts can be set up.

“Really what we’re trying to do is humanize what’s going on in people’s lives,” he said. 

Leavitt is more than familiar with the war-torn country, it’s almost a home away from home of sorts for Leavitt and his wife. For 14 years (2004 to 2018), they worked in legal reform efforts in Ukraine as part of The Leavitt Institute for International Development.

“Our role was to teach the jury trial and American criminal law in 35 law schools throughout Ukraine and Moldova,” Leavitt said.

During their time there, the Leavitts made many friends, and even have a home there.

“Kyiv is as much a home city for us as Provo or Salt Lake is,” he said. 

Second trip to Ukraine

This is the second trip to Ukraine this year for Leavitt. He says he was there just before the Russian invasion to take care of some personal family issues, regarding their home.

“And now we’re going back to help our friends and others who are refugees,” Leavitt said. 

The process of identifying the families that will be supported figures to be a huge undertaking.

“We are taking applications and hearing stories and trying to identify people who have lost everything,” he said. 

Getting to Ukraine won’t be easy, however. Leavitt says he will first fly from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam. From there, he will fly to Romania, and will travel by ground the rest of the way into Ukraine.

Leavitt says he is accepting donations, and that can be done by clicking here.

Read more:

 

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

Family

An online marriage licensing portal has grabbed the attention of Israel, where historically marriag...
Waverly Golden

Utah’s online marriage licensing gets attention all over the world

An online marriage licensing portal has grabbed the attention of Israel, where historically marriage is controlled by the Rabbinate.
3 days ago
Multiple dollar bills are pictured, social security will see a bump...
Mark Jones

How to talk to your spouse about finances? An expert weighs in.

Dave and Dujanovic discuss how we can discuss finances with our spouse.
5 days ago
Amy Swinehouse...
Ben McGonnell

Salt Lake County Animal Services looking for a home for Amy Swinehouse

Salt Lake County Animal Services is currently seeking a loving home for Amy Swinehouse, a pot-bellied pig.
6 days ago
Earlier this week, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announce...
Mark Jones

Open house and dedication of Feather River Temple will be later this year

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced this week the open house and dedication dates for the Feather River California Temple.
8 days ago
Salt Lake County Health and partners team up to help make Utah kids safe through the SafeUT Safe Ki...
Waverly Golden

SafeUT Safe Kids Fair, helps keep Utah kids safe

Salt Lake County Health and partners team up to help make Utah kids safe through the SafeUT Safe Kids Fair.
10 days ago
An open house for the Richmond Virginia Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints w...
Mark Jones

Open house for Richmond Virginia Temple begins this week

The Richmond Virginia Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will have an open house beginning this week that will run through April 15.
12 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...
BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.
Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....
Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a new winter activity? Try skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.
Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...
Intermountain Health

Five common causes of Cervical Cancer – and what you can do to lower your risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.
Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...
Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get ready for fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.
happy friends with sparklers at christmas dinner...
Macey's

15 easy Christmas dinner ideas

We’ve scoured the web for you and narrowed down a few of our favorite Christmas dinner ideas to make your planning easy.
Spicy Homemade Loaded Taters Tots...
Macey's

5 Game Day Snacks for the Whole Family (with recipes!)

Try these game day snacks to make watching football at home with your family feel like a special occasion. 
David Leavitt heads to Ukraine to help donor find 500 families to support