Help Vladlena's Ukrainian Family
Donation protected
Aloha, I’m Barclay MacDonald. My wife, Kathleen, and I are currently hosting a Ukrainian family who badly needs our Kokua - Vladlena Bugay, her husband Sergiy, their 5 year old daughter Milana and her parents - Olena and Igor Chopa. They arrived on Maui on a tourist visa while Ukraine was still a beautiful, peaceful country. They planned on returning safely at the beginning of March. But this visit became tragically different!
The family can’t return home now. Two Russian missiles struck across the street from Igor and Olena’s home! The war is now in their hometown - Mykolaiv! The photo below is current from there, fortunately, not their homes. Their jobs are gone. The money they brought on what was expected to be a short visit is rapidly dwindling. They have difficulties using their Ukrainian credit cards! In the U.S. they are forbidden to work and earn income. Even a small donation can tremendously help them to continue existence and cover everyday necessities, such as food, medical assistance, urgent prescriptions, transportation to grocery stores, future jobs when permitted and Milana’s school, where she has started Kindergarten this week. They are most welcome in our home but being a family of 5 need their own home. On March 3, the Department of Homeland Security announced a program that promised to extend their visas and permit employment but as of March 30, nothing further has happened. The DHS is not responding to questions! Additionally, DHS requires the family to pay $2300 in fees to apply once registration starts.
Every day the family faces the reality Russia is destroying their home, jobs and country. They are embarking on a very uncertain future. Their previous lives no longer exist! Any further assistance we can provide will bring the Ukrainian family hope and will be greatly appreciated!
My wife and I have known the family for 18 years. Vladlena Chopa Bugay was an exchange student attending King Kekaulike High School for 9 months in 2004, and since that time her family had several visits to Maui. This generous article in the Maui News provides more detail: https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/03/qds65jp[/ukrainian-woman-finds-refuge-on-the-valley-isle/
Mahalo nui loa, thank you very much, for your much needed assistance.
The war in Mykolaiv
The family can’t return home now. Two Russian missiles struck across the street from Igor and Olena’s home! The war is now in their hometown - Mykolaiv! The photo below is current from there, fortunately, not their homes. Their jobs are gone. The money they brought on what was expected to be a short visit is rapidly dwindling. They have difficulties using their Ukrainian credit cards! In the U.S. they are forbidden to work and earn income. Even a small donation can tremendously help them to continue existence and cover everyday necessities, such as food, medical assistance, urgent prescriptions, transportation to grocery stores, future jobs when permitted and Milana’s school, where she has started Kindergarten this week. They are most welcome in our home but being a family of 5 need their own home. On March 3, the Department of Homeland Security announced a program that promised to extend their visas and permit employment but as of March 30, nothing further has happened. The DHS is not responding to questions! Additionally, DHS requires the family to pay $2300 in fees to apply once registration starts.
Every day the family faces the reality Russia is destroying their home, jobs and country. They are embarking on a very uncertain future. Their previous lives no longer exist! Any further assistance we can provide will bring the Ukrainian family hope and will be greatly appreciated!
My wife and I have known the family for 18 years. Vladlena Chopa Bugay was an exchange student attending King Kekaulike High School for 9 months in 2004, and since that time her family had several visits to Maui. This generous article in the Maui News provides more detail: https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/03/qds65jp[/ukrainian-woman-finds-refuge-on-the-valley-isle/
Mahalo nui loa, thank you very much, for your much needed assistance.
The war in Mykolaiv
Organiser
Barclay MacDonald
Organiser
Kula, HI
