We (Terri and Bruce Sargeant) hosted a Ukrainian family who escaped the war in 2022 through the program Ukraine Take Shelter. They arrived at our house on Mother’s Day 2022 amid the fun and chaos of our Mother’s Day family party and their family of three—Aleks, Tanya and 12 year Dima—stayed with us for 6 months.

After we found a great condo in Orange, they moved in and started their lives anew in a place they never expected to be, but embracing the goodwill of the people of Orange County. Fast forward to today and the family, which now includes a baby girl, have decided they must leave the US because the government has frozen his work permit and as Aleks stated in the recent OC Register article, he will not stay in the country illegally. (https://www.ocregister.com/2025/03/15/local-ukrainian-family-faces-uncertainty-as-immigration-policies-hang-in-the-balance/?share=2siantinrkleyaw1trbi)

We are beyond sad that is happening to such a great family who has established a life here and is truly being forced to go. And because relocating to Europe is going to be a very expensive move for them, leaving behind so many belongings and starting all over again, we are asking for financial help for the move they never wanted to make. Gratefully requesting your help, Terri and Bruce Sargeant