Help us make a difference for Ukrainian refugees

Dear friends,

The following lines are a bit emotional, but they may just have the impact needed to make a major difference in people's lives, so please take a few minutes to read on.

My relatives in Poland (Majdan Królewski and Nowa Dęba) have taken in 26 Ukrainian refugees so far. These women and their children arrived with nothing but the clothes they had on them, plus a few items they could carry since the war forced them to leave everything else behind. Each one of them is a wonderful, hardworking individual who had dreams and aspirations for the future. The war means those hopes have been lost together with almost all of their material possessions - an experience that is unimaginable for most of us.

My mom and I are now trying to raise money to help them start rebuilding their lives in Poland. Our goal is to cover the expenses for their basic daily needs such as food, clothing, toiletries, school supplies, etc. as well as to financially support their hosts by paying for utilities and transportation.

If you feel like you’d like to support this cause, please donate to the campaign or just spread the word. Any help is so much appreciated and goes a long way. If we are lucky enough to meet our financial goal, any additional funds will be distributed among other Ukrainian families in our town. The number of refugees is growing by the day, so the need for financial support increases equally.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Slava Ukraini!

Justyna Stec-Matthews and Jadwiga Stec

From the left: Elizabet (3 months old) and Vitalina, her mom. Second picture - Irina (16), Tatiana and Sasza (11).

They all came from Poltava, in central Ukraine.

Vitalina and Natasza left behind their husbands, who are currently fighting against the Russian army.

Jadwiga Stec, who is taking care of them, is a retired city clerk from Majdan Krolewski. Helping others has been a significant motivation for her throughout her life.

From the left: Jadwiga (GoFundMe organizer), Natasza, Natasza, Vadim, Irina, Maria, Lisa, and Luba (the host).

They all came from Zaporoze (Zaporizhzhia).

Back in Ukraine, Natasza’s husband helps the military by delivering fuel.

Lisa’s husband is a driver and helps with transportation.

Irina’s husband works in a plane factory.

Luba Pogoda, the host, is a restaurant owner, who volunteered to take them all in. She was born in Slovakia and is a highly engaged member of her community in Nowa Deba, Poland.

From the left: Elzbieta Flis (the host), Ilona, Denis, Marianna, Nazar, Julia, Weronika, Ania, Marianna, Diana, Julia and her daughter Adelina (18 months).

They all came from Dobrotvir, Lviv Oblast in Ukraine.

Almost all of them left their families behind, including parents, in-laws, husbands, and siblings.

Elzbieta Flis, the host, is a dentist in Nowa Deba is known for her big heart and welcoming everybody with open arms.

From the left: Halina (the host), Egor (6), Tatiana, Tamara and Eva. Second picture: Tadeusz (the host) and Egor, Tatian, Tamara and Eva.

The family came from Zhytomyr.

Tatiana’s husband is fighting in Ukraine, and Tamara is a widow.

Halina Kopec, the host, is a retired nurse, and her husband, Tadeusz Kopec, owns a wedding venue in Majdan Krolewski. They are well known for their kindness and community involvement.