Recently, I volunteered at the Woloska 7 Ukraine Shelter in Warsaw, Poland and have been tutoring English to Ukrainian teens in an orphanage in Lviv. I have grown close to many of the kids in these centers. We meet weekly over zoom, exchanging languages, music, photos, and, most importantly, our stories. I hear about their struggles and fears as the war continues. Lviv’s and Kyiv’s electricity was shut off yet another time due to a missile attack. My friends are scared for their safety and for their parents on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Woloska 7 refugees are worried about the coming winter and their desperate need for resources. When I volunteered there, kids were wearing flip-flops and ripped shirts, excited to receive donated school supplies so they could go to school. Now, they are in need of warm shoes, resources for the looming cold months ahead, and funds for New Year’s presents to raise some holiday spirit during these dark times.

Despite the uncertainty and fear around them, these brave, kind people choose to keep going. They take care of each other. Yesterday, one of my Ukrainian friends shared pictures of soldiers playing with Ukrainian kids at their center. The love created in moments like these heals us and allows us to keep on going despite the pain. Let us show our love. Let us take care of each other.

Please help us raise money for winter resources so that these centers can continue being safe havens of love and support.

All collected funds will go directly to Woloska 7 refugee center in Warsaw and shelters in Lviv, just like in our August fundraiser (https://gofund.me/70dd0513)