Fundraiser for Lena and Polina

Like millions of Ukrainians, Lena and her family’s life changed instantly in the early morning of February 24th when Russia invaded Ukraine.

After a long and exhausting journey Lena, her almost three-year-old daughter Polina and their dog Loki are currently staying in Lehi, Utah.

The same day the war started Lena and her husband Sergey packed only a few necessary items into their small car and left Kyiv, where they had lived for the last three years, leaving everything behind. They went to Lviv, where both grew up and Lena’s parents still live. The usual 4-hour drive took 12, filled with sounds of explosions, short gas supplies, big traffic jams, panicking people and fear that they won't be able to make it. When they finally reached Lviv, the reality of war showed them that nowhere in Ukraine was safe for them. They spent hours hiding in a restroom from the sirens and had to sleep on the floor with a few more families to be closer to the exit just in case they were getting bombed. Lena and Sergey made a hard decision that it was best for Lena and their daughter to leave Ukraine, which meant their family had to be broken up. Lena’s husband stayed in Ukraine to fight for his country’s freedom while Lena, Polina and Loki went to Poland. Even though Lena was grateful to escape the war, she struggled to find more stability there due to a shortage of places to rent or find a job. After spending two months in Poland, the Uniting for Ukraine program was announced; Lena then took the opportunity to come to the United States with her daughter and their dog.

Now safe here in the United States, Lena and Polina are in need to start their lives over. Currently, Lena is waiting to get a work permit, and once it is approved, she will need a car to commute to a job. They will also need some financial support to get their place to rent. Right now, they are staying at their cousin Irina’s house, which is home not only to her own family but also to her and her husband’s parents, who luckily escaped Ukraine.

On behalf of Lena and her family, I’m organizing this fundraiser to help Lena, Polina and Loki with the cost of getting established in the United States due to the tragic circumstances that unfortunately misplaced millions of Ukrainians.

We appreciate any support. Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness.