Help Us Help Families in Kremenchuk, Ukraine

Dear Family and friends,

 

As many of you know, our daughter, Lili, spent nearly three years in Ukraine as a Peace Corps volunteer, living and teaching in Kremenchuk, in central-eastern Ukraine, and later spent a year as a journalist in Kyiv, the capital city. During her time as a Peace Corps volunteer, Lili was hosted by a warm, wonderful family who made her feel loved and helped her learn the language and customs of the country. Yulya and Sergey and their three children became Lili’s family away from home. They have remained very close. The eldest was a college student at the University in Kharkiv—now under constant bombardment; the two youngest love knitting and chess and excel in school where Lili taught.

 

The family has decided to remain in Kremenchuk and are now housing an increasing number of families with children (to date a total of 12 people) fleeing the Russian invasion from the Kharkiv area and the south. They have opened their doors to these people and others needing safe refuge and are feeding and housing them to the best of their ability. The parents have both lost their jobs and need our financial support for themselves, these displaced families, and others who they know will be arriving in the very near future.

 

Additionally, Lili’s good friends are running an after-school program in an underserved community in Kremenchuk, and other teachers and friends who have remained in the city need our help.

 

We have already sent some funds to Yulia and Sergey to purchase food and pay for heat and electricity in the coming month. This campaign is to raise funds to provide them and Lili’s former colleagues and friends with additional income until the end of this year. These are all trustworthy and generous people who are devoted to their families and especially the children of Kremenchuk. You can trust that your contributions will go directly to support these families.

 

Please give what you can, no amount is too small and all is truly appreciated. We will post updates on the families here so check back with us periodically. They have asked that we not post photographs of their families and kids, understandably so, and so instead we have posted photos of this magical country taken during our recent travels there.

 

Finally, most of you also know that Lili continues to work for the Kyiv Independent, Ukraine’s English language newspaper as she pursues her master’s degree in Eurasian studies. Stay in touch with the latest news at https://kyivindependent.com/

 

Thank you for your support and please pray for a quick end to this horrific war perpetrated on this beautiful country filled with loving and generous people. SLAVA UKRAINI!!

Gary & Isabelle