Donate to help Katia and her family

We all are in shock and disbelief while watching the Russian attack on Ukraine. This war is happening far from the United States, and we still can feel somehow safe here. However, it became very personal for me when my family in Poland decided to invite a Ukrainian mom with her 5-year-old son. Here is the story ...

As a result of the recent attacks from Russia, Katia and little Mark had no choice but to flee the city of Dnipro, where they lived, which is in the eastern part of Ukraine.  For the first two weeks, they stayed at my sister's house in Poland.  Katia and Mark came with nothing - they had traveled for two days on a crowded train and slept on the floor of a bus station in Krakow before joining my family.  During their stay with my sister, they developed a love for my dad's cooking and little Mark started calling my parents babushka and dedushka (grandma and grandpa).  In the meantime, two of Katia's cousins and their children, who also came to Poland to escape from Ukraine, were fortunate to be hosted by another family who let them stay in their empty little vacation house in the countryside.  Katia eventually decided to join her cousins, and to help them make a house a home, my family purchased household items and our friends and neighbors donated clothing and toys for the kids, etc.  Now, Katia and her cousins, who have 8 children between them (and another baby is due in May), are all living together as a family under one roof.  Katia managed to find a job in the Gardening Center, but she only earns $75/week.  She is very grateful for all the help she received these last few weeks.  I keep in touch with her via Messenger, and she is a sincere, strong woman who does not complain and does not ask for anything…but I want to continue to help her and her son Mark and their extended family.  We do not know how long the current circumstances will last.  Katia and her cousins do not know if they will ever be able to return to their homes in Ukraine.  The situation is both tragic and unimaginable, and so I am asking my friends to please help these women and their children...so at least we can try to provide food for their table.