Donate to help a young Ukrainian family of six

Hi, my name is Vikram. I am writing this on behalf of a Ukrainian refugee family who has recently fled the war in their homeland and has managed to find refuge here in San Diego. Their journey here was only possible due to the efforts of close relatives and friends, who raised enough funds for the family of 6 (parents Denys and Katia, two teenagers, one youngster, and a 2yr old toddler) to find safe passage to the United States. We are eternally grateful to all the individuals and organizations who have provided accommodation, arranged for miscellaneous paperwork, food for the family, and most importantly, hope and strength to begin to find their footing in their host country.

As you can imagine, the challenges are far from over for Denys, Katia and the four children. Denys left a secure job as an engineer in their hometown of Odessa, using his little savings to take his family as far as possible from the war. Besides being a mom to her four children, Katia was a fitness instructor and baker extraordinaire before the war interrupted their lives. While they have managed to escape the conflict, they leave behind their extended families in towns across Ukraine. One can only imagine the dread they must suffer daily, with news of each bomb that falls close to home and loved ones.

Despite all that has happened, Denys and Katia are determined to make the best of the situation and bring a sense of normalcy to their lives. Denys spends his time taking care of the paperwork for his family, looking for stable employment, and longer-term housing for the family. Katia already has plans to make money selling her artistically crafted cakes. They are both planning to take ESL classes to help them integrate into society as smoothly as possible.

But this process will take several months before they can make enough of a living to provide food and shelter for their family. The support they have received so far has helped them take their first few steps in the US, but they urgently need additional assistance to help them with the big-ticket items - the biggest ones being rent and transportation. Having this assurance over the next six months would go a long way in helping the family get established.

On their behalf, I request your support to help them start their American dream. One day these young children will look back and thank benefactors such as you for helping them through this dire situation. No donation is too small; your generosity will never be forgotten. Ultimately peace will prevail, and families such as Denys’ and Katia’s will have peace of mind again - whether in Ukraine, or in their new home here in the United States.