Help Iryna and Platon of Ukraine live safely in MN

After watching friends of mine sponsor a family from Ukraine and seeing the enormous impact on their lives, I was inspired to get involved and am now sponsoring friends of theirs.

Iryna and Platon, of Odessa, Ukraine, are coming to MN to live safely and in peace. This site is raising money to support this mother and her son as they move out of a horrific situation. I am sponsoring them through the US immigration 2 year humanitarian parole program called Uniting for Ukraine. Basically, I am ensuring their well being such as housing, and schooling, thus raising money for them. My deep concern and feeling of helplessness regarding the invasion led me to want to help.

Odessa is currently a particularly violent area . Much of the town has been bombed specifically the apartment building next door. Frequent attacks have led to tremendous loss of civilians, including friends of theirs. Several times we have had to cut our calls short because of air raid sirens or power outages. Iryna reports that she is extremely stressed and the past few weeks have been especially bad. Platon, her 8 year old son, has spent many school days in bomb shelters. He is a kind, easy going boy who loves to dance and play video games. She sometimes has sleepless nights hearing rockets overhead and desperately wants to get her son to safety. Her husband Misha has to remain behind due to the war effort.

Iryna is a professional chef and plans to get a job here. Platon is in 3rd grade and will likely go to school in St. Paul Public Schools. We plan to find a place near Grand Ave close to their friends who arrived from Odessa, Ukraine a year ago. Grand Ave has many restaurants for job opportunities for Iryna and has a good bus line.

Everything has been approved and I just purchased their tickets for June 19th. They are coming here with only that which fits in their suitcases.

How the funds will be used:

• Airline tickets for 2.

• Housing, transportation, groceries and incidental expenses for their first few months and then to supplement her income.

• Furnish a 1-bedroom apartment ( most things will be donated)

• Enroll Platon in school and activities.

• Purchase bicycles and a possibly a car for greater access to jobs.

• Clothes and personal needs.

Donations are used directly to support this family and are not tax deductible. If extra funds are raised, those funds will be donated to other Sponsors raising funds or towards my next sponsorship.

If you are touched by this story, I invite you to do what is present in your heart. There are many ways to support this family from prayers, to donating household items to making a donation.

I'm building a small team of people who will be directly involved in supporting Iryna and Platon. Our greatest need right now is funding.

Thank you for considering supporting this family. I have gotten to know them and they are kind, decent people who are simply trying to live in a safe, supportive and more peaceful environment.