Sziastok/Hello! My name is Erin Duff, and I am a proud Hungarian-American asking you to join me in supporting Ukrainian refugees in Hungary. More than 250,000 Ukrainians have crossed the border into Hungary in recent weeks as they escape the Russian military invasion and accompanying humanitarian crisis.

In April, I will be traveling to Hungary with my mom and dad to volunteer with Migration Aid to help these refugees. Migration Aid has provided security and assistance for refugees in Hungary since 2015. In rapid response to the Ukrainian crisis, they quickly secured a 5-story workers' hostel outside Budapest to house refugees. The "Madridi utca" hostel can accommodate over 300 people, housing them mainly for short-term stays so they can regroup before traveling on to their next destination. At the Migration Aid shelter, refugees receive free housing, hot meals, first aid, childcare, and legal assistance with immigration documents.

This cause is particularly close to my heart since my own grandparents came to the United States as refugees from Hungary after World War II. When they first arrived, they received a generous outpouring of support from the Catholic Relief Services organization. Through that support, they found employment, a house, and a community in which to set new roots. Without that generosity, I would not be here.

We look forward to working with our Hungarian friends and family members to assist these courageous Ukrainian refugees by cooking meals, preparing rooms, taking care of the children, and assisting with paperwork and transportation. Friends here in the United States have generously offered to support our endeavor, so I have created this GoFundMe to collect donations.

We will send all donations directly to Migration Aid. Your donation will fund operations at the Madridi utca shelter mentioned above as well as crisis centers at Hungary's main rail stations and more permanent refugee accommodations in southern Hungary. If you would prefer to donate directly to Migration Aid, you are welcome to do so here .

Thank you for your generous support of this important cause! Köszönöm szépen! Slava Ukraini!