When the Russian Invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Marco Gruelle immediately wanted to help the people of Ukraine.

Beyond the help of sending in relief supplies, Gruelle has been using his 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, DTCare, to provide mental health services to the Ukrainian people.

“Basically, the entire country has (post-traumatic stress disorder) in one way or another,” Gruelle said.

Gruelle, the founder and president of the board of DTCare, recently spent time in Ukraine with program manager Courtney Robson in April to help the people in the war-torn country.

The nonprofit does charitable work and missions on four continents with offices in Lebanon, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Panama and Ukraine. Its corporate office is in Moon Township, Allegheny County.

DTCare has helped since the beginning of the armed conflict, sending cargo and shipments of emergency relief supplies, building distribution networks and providing psychological support for Ukrainian veterans, their families and civilians.

The agency teamed up with the ZHP (Polish Scouting and Building Association) to distribute supplies to refugees in Poland, and continue to send shipments in Ukraine. To date, DTCare has sent 23 aid shipments worth over $440,000.

Gruelle, who has been volunteering around the world for over 20 years, started DTCare in 2019 as a offshoot of his logistics company DTGruelle.

He said the nonprofit, whose funding comes from donations and grants from all over the world, helps with his vision of wanting to give back to those in need, especially to those who he feels can get overlooked by larger nonprofit organizations.

“Smaller actions combined are often more effective than a solo large effort,” Gruelle said.

In addition to now helping with the rebuilding process, Gruelle said it is vital to help the people of Ukraine deal with the trauma caused by the war.

According to the World Health Organization, 9.6 million people, a quarter of the country’s total population, are likely to develop a mental health condition as a result of the conflict.

DTCare uses art therapy for everyone from children to armed soldiers and their families.

He said each program is tailored differently depending on the group. In general, art therapy allows residents to express anger, sorrow or fear in a healthy way.

“It’s art in a structured environment,” Gruelle said. “It seems to be working on all demographics.”

For example, in one of the sessions for children, they were asked to draw an umbrella and then were asked to draw what they would like to protect under that umbrella. Gruelle said all of the kids drew their family members and their pets, and even used pieces of clay or silly putty to “reinforce” the umbrella to better protect their loved ones.

He said DTCare worked with mental health professionals from New York University, Florida State University and Seton Hill University to develop the program.

Gruelle said while the overall mood of the country is a quiet resolve to win the war, he feels, in speaking with the licensed professionals who works with him, this conflict is set to bring long-term trauma for those involved, especially the soldiers.

That is why he wants to help them as quickly as possible, rather than wait for their trauma to fester for years on end.

“It needs to be solved as quick as possible,” Gruelle said. “After the war, a lot will jump into a bottle of vodka and waste away.”

Gruelle has been to Ukraine four times since the conflict started, and is planning a fifth trip.

For more information, including ways to donate to DTCare, visit DTCare.org.

Both Gruelle and Robson were recently interviewed by Mary Ann Shaner, director of marketing for WXED FM radio in Ellwood City, who hosts her own radio show. The show is archived on the WXED website.

“It was very enlightening,” Shaner said. “They were very grateful to have promotion on the air.”