Soften the Landing for the Ukrainian Kuchma Family

Hi, my name is Kathryn. I am sponsoring a young Ukrainian family to immigrate to the United States. Many folks have expressed an interest in helping to make their move here a success, so I am setting up this fund to help them with travel expenses, rent, living expenses and other costs they will have once they leave our home.

Nataliia, her sister Yaroslava, and her young daughter Solomiia (5 years old) were forced to flee their home in Sumy, Northeastern Ukraine in the early morning of February 24th, just hours ahead of invading Russian forces. Nataliia's husband, Vladimir, went to defend Ukraine as a soldier and Nataliia, her sister, and young daughter found temporary shelter in a Slovakian refugee center.

This family cannot return to Sumy, as the Russians heavily mined the area while they occupied the city and still shell the civilian population on a nightly basis. My husband, Tom, and I were introduced to Nataliia and Yaroslava through a distant relative, and we are very excited to sponsor them via the U.S. United for Ukraine humanitarian program.

These brave women are leaving so much that they know and love, including Nataliia's husband, Yaroslava's boyfriend, elderly parents and friends, to seek a secure future for little Solomiia (who will be enrolling in kindergarten upon her arrival!). In Ukraine, Nataliia was a physician and a professor at Sumy University. Yaroslava owned a Sumy-based fitness studio: "Boost." These young women now have to begin their lives and professions from the ground up: it won't be easy, and they can use all the help and support they can get.

Tom and I are happy to host them as our guests and provide any support that we can. That said, it will "take a village" to help them become independent and successfully launch their new lives in the United States. They are anxious to find employment and become self-sustaining, but it will take some time to make all this happen.

If you can, please donate whatever you can. Nataliia, Yaroslava and Solomiia will arrive next week at our Minneapolis home with nothing but a small suitcase each. Imagine what you would need if you were in their shoes and know that whatever you can give will be deeply appreciated.