The power of giving: our continued support for ICF Support Service

During the last winter holiday season, Pwrteams embraced the spirit of giving by supporting local charities in Ukraine, Poland and Bulgaria, aiming to make a meaningful impact and bring hope to those in need. As part of our Christmas Charity Give initiative, Pwrteams donated 25 EUR on behalf of each employee to one of three impactful organisations in each location. Specialists at Pwrteams had the opportunity to choose which charity their donation would support. Among the organisations supported was ICF Support Service, a Ukrainian charity that assists military personnel and civilians affected by the war. Furthermore, the foundation has been continuously supported through the Ukraine Support Fund setup by Pwrteams’ parent company Nortal in 2022.  

A key figure behind ICF Support Service is Ruslan Tereshchenko, Solution Architect at Pwrteams and a founding member of the foundation. Back in November, we spoke with Ruslan about his work at Pwrteams and the foundation. You can read our interview with him here.  

What has changed since then, and how can you support the foundation now? Read on to find out. 

We would be curious to find out a bit more about yourself. How did you end up working in IT? 

I began my journey in IT back in school, where I developed a strong interest in computer science and programming. I also attended various computer science clubs after school. I started working in 2013, but at the time, I was in military service, so I studied and worked part-time in my free time. When I left the military at the end of 2017, I began looking for my first full-time job in an IT company. During my studies and training from 2013 to 2017, I significantly improved my skills and secured a mid-level developer role in a product company right away. Since then, I have been fully dedicated to IT. I love this job – it suits me perfectly, offering space for creativity, experimentation and growth. 

How about your ICF Support Service – when and how was it created, what are the main areas of its focus, and how many people are involved in its activities? 

My friend Ihor Berezin and I founded the charity foundation together. We started helping our friends in the army at the beginning of 2023. This was our main focus then and remains so now, with even more acquaintances involved.  

Over time, our efforts in this area gained momentum, and we decided to turn our small, personal volunteer initiative into something bigger and establish a charity organisation to operate transparently, publicly and officially. That’s exactly what we do: we publish all our reports, updates and news, sharing almost every decision and event with the public. Since we use people’s donations to support the military, we believe they have the right to track how their money is spent. 

Our team currently consists of eight people. Everyone has their own job but dedicates their free time to keeping the foundation running. 

What challenges does the foundation currently face in its work? 

The biggest challenge currently are finances. The foundation is growing, becoming more well-known, and the number of requests is increasing, but the amount of money collected is not enough to meet the military's needs immediately.  

We have to make efforts to find and attract funds. We experiment and try various ideas to achieve this. We have already launched advertising campaigns on social networks, sent letters to companies and published posters on the website for people to help distribute them offline. 

How do you cope during difficult moments in the foundation's work? What helps you get through them, and what motivates you the most? 

The greatest motivation comes from seeing a project successfully completed, as it brings a deep sense of satisfaction. Another key factor is our team – during challenging times, we support one another, brainstorm new ideas and discuss ways to improve our work and productivity. 

What kind of support do you need, and how can our readers contribute to your work? 

If anyone reading this has a large social media audience, we would greatly appreciate it sharing our fundraising announcements. 

Are you looking for volunteers to join your ICF Support Service? If so, in what areas? 

We are looking for a volunteer accountant who could help us with record-keeping in their free time. At the moment, we manage it ourselves, which adds to our workload. 

Currently, accounting is our most urgent need. We handle everything else with ease and enthusiasm. 

How do you recruit and retain volunteers? 

People usually reach out to us on their own, asking how they can contribute. We have a structured distribution of roles and responsibilities, so we assign tasks based on our needs, helping to lighten the workload for the busiest team members. Sometimes, I personally invite individuals who I see have potential and a strong willingness to volunteer. 

Tell us about the cooperation between the foundation and Pwrteams.

I am currently a Solution Architect at Pwrteams, combining my work in IT with volunteer activities at the foundation.  

Many of my colleagues generously donate to the foundation, and the company itself has also provided financial support on multiple occasions. I am incredibly grateful to everyone for their kindness and generosity. 

How were the most recent donations from Pwrteams used?

As part of the Christmas Charity Give campaign, Pwrteams donated to us 4 200 EUR. We spent 1 790 EUR to purchase three Ecoflow Delta 2 charging stations, 1 005 EUR for a thermal imager and another 1 405 EUR on a car diagnostic device (auto scanner).  

Then, in March this year, through the Ukraine Support Fund, set up in 2022 by Pwrteams' parent company - Nortal, Pwrteams and Nortal contributed 6 391 EUR to ICF Support Service. With these funds, we procured essential equipment for multiple brigades, including a thermal imager, EcoFlow Delta 2 power stations, first aid kits with tourniquets, hand warmers, a generator and Starlink units.  

How do you manage to balance your work at Pwrteams with such active involvement in the foundation? 

I have learned to use my time effectively and prioritise tasks at the right moment. Thanks to the flexibility of working remotely from my home office, I can adapt as needed. I also have a large team that helps, allowing me to delegate most of the work. My role is to organise everything properly and on time. Some team members assist with documentation, others search for goods and negotiate with suppliers, while others help prepare content, create illustrations and design posters. Some are responsible for spreading posts. 

I frequently apply the skills I gained from working in IT companies, such as fully digitised workflows within the foundation and with contractors, using Kanban and leveraging artificial intelligence (e.g., chat assistants). 

Do you want to support ICF Support Service? You can donate here:  

Committed to making a difference

At Pwrteams, giving back is more than a seasonal gesture – it’s a core part of who we are. Supporting organisations like ICF Support Service is just one way we strive to make a meaningful impact in the communities where we live and work. 
 
We’re proud to stand alongside our employees and partners in this journey of generosity and social responsibility. Want to learn more about how we give back? Read about the initiatives we are supporting and  how  we’re  making  a  difference  together.