Support Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, Poland

I’ve set up this crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for my friend Scotia, who lives in Krakow and is involved with helping Ukrainian refugees on a local level. All donations to this campaign will go straight towards medical supplies, shelter, food and warm clothes for refugees in Krakow. You can read Scotia’s message below.
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A message from Scotia:

Hi everyone, my name is Scotia Gilroy, and I’m a Canadian living in Krakow, Poland. Like everyone in Poland, my life changed suddenly overnight on February 24th – when bombs began to fall on the city of Kyiv, Ukraine. This brutal attack feels like it's right on our doorstep and has shaken us to our core. Poland and Ukraine have a long, intertwined history with many cultural affinities and crossovers.  While feeling nervous about what the future holds for Poland – our focus right now is on Ukraine, the terrible suffering of its people, and on providing them with all the help we possibly can. Now, after several weeks, the war is on our doorsteps, literally – over two million Ukrainians (mostly women, children and the elderly) have fled their country and the majority of them, at least for now, are in Poland.

 

Like most people here in Poland, I want to help in any way I can. In Krakόw, many stadiums, culture centres and empty buildings have been converted into refugee shelters, which are mainly run by volunteers and supported by donations from the public. Each shelter and food-distribution point regularly posts a list on Facebook of essential items needed to feed and take care of the thousands of refugees. In addition to hosting refugees in my own home in the first weeks of the war, I felt motivated to support the shelters and initiatives as much as possible.  I was deeply touched by the many messages I received from family & friends – some of whom I haven’t seen for decades – offering to help my efforts to support Ukrainians. One of these – my old friend Katrin, from my university days in Vancouver – offered to set up a Go Fund Me campaign to raise funds. Thank you, Katrin!

 
The money gathered from this crowdfunding campaign will be used for the following:

 

1) to help local initiatives here in Krakow that are providing aid - such as restaurants preparing hot meals for refugees arriving at the train station, organizations that are planning education for Ukrainian children, and facilities providing temporary shelter and accommodation for Ukrainian refugees;

2) to purchase large quantities of supplies (food, toiletries, medicine, blankets, sleeping bags, etc.) to donate to collection points in Krakow that are distributing them to Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, such as:

3) to donate money to directly to some of the Ukrainian families I host, when they leave my home for longer-term accommodation. I want to be able to give them a donation to help them feel more stable in this time of great uncertainty.

Thank you to everyone who donates! Every dollar will be greatly appreciated! :-)

 

Scotia

[PHOTO: Ukrainian refugees sleeping on the floor of the train station after arriving in Krakow, March 2022]