Ukrainian Family Flees Russian War
Donation protected
Hello everyone. My name is Svetlana Zilberman, and this is my first experience using GoFundMe. So, you might ask, why am I here and why should you continued reading?
As you all know, the atrocious and unjust Russian war against Ukraine has disrupted the lives and families of many innocent civilians in my home country. As a former citizen of Ukraine, my heart breaks as Vladimir Putin creates unnecessary and unprovoked havoc and destruction. As a mother with two kids, I need to contribute in a small, but meaningful, way to improve Ukrainian lives, however possible.
Today, I'm fundraising for a friend of mine, a mom of two kids that have managed to escape to the United States. Anastasia and I met in elementary school in Kyiv, when we were 7 years old. It didn’t take long for us to become best friends, walking home from school together, talking on the phone for hours on end, and spending countless hours together. After the fall of the Soviet Union, my family and I immigrated to the United States, but this didn’t change our friendship. As the years went by, Anastasia and I wrote letters to each other, sent pictures by snail mail (remember that?), and shared the countless stories and events in our lives. Like most of us today, social media made it possible for our friendship to continue, as letters and postcards are now direct messages and photo sharing. We have never missed a beat in our long friendship!
When rumors started circulating about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, I urged Anastasia to evacuate, with her loved ones, from Kyiv immediately. Unfortunately, her father uses a wheelchair and could not physically travel, and her mother passed away a few years ago. Despite having two teenage children, she could not abandon her dad and leave him behind during this time of great uncertainty. After the war started, they spent their days running in and out of bomb shelters, while Anastasia’s husband worked on mathematical calculations of rocket speed and launch location to determine if their apartment building could be destroyed. During this turbulent time, her kids did not attend school and most of Anastasia’s friends dispersed across Europe looking for safety.
When the United States Government launched the “Uniting for Ukraine” program to assist those affected by Russia's war, I immediately applied to sponsor Anastasia and her family. After receiving her father’s and husband’s blessing and encouragement, Anastasia and her children made the extremely difficult, heartbreaking decision to leave Ukraine on June 14th. After a long, brutal journey through Poland, Anastasia and her two kids, Arina and Anton, arrived in Houston last week. Travel weary, tired, and frightened for the loved ones they left behind, they feel a sense of security and safety in the US, and the daily sounds of emergency sirens no longer cause them panic.
If you can find it in your heart, I’m asking for contributions, no matter how large or small, to help Anastasia and her children replenish the exorbitant cost they paid to escape this senseless war. Please know, my family and I are covering the costs of food, shelter, education, and entertainment here in the United States for my friend and her family.
I know everyone is struggling with increased prices today due to inflation (including myself), however, your donations will provide a sense of security for Anastasia, Arina, and Anton, who arrived just a few days ago with only three suitcases. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and prayers for a quick end to this terrible war in Ukraine.
As you all know, the atrocious and unjust Russian war against Ukraine has disrupted the lives and families of many innocent civilians in my home country. As a former citizen of Ukraine, my heart breaks as Vladimir Putin creates unnecessary and unprovoked havoc and destruction. As a mother with two kids, I need to contribute in a small, but meaningful, way to improve Ukrainian lives, however possible.
Today, I'm fundraising for a friend of mine, a mom of two kids that have managed to escape to the United States. Anastasia and I met in elementary school in Kyiv, when we were 7 years old. It didn’t take long for us to become best friends, walking home from school together, talking on the phone for hours on end, and spending countless hours together. After the fall of the Soviet Union, my family and I immigrated to the United States, but this didn’t change our friendship. As the years went by, Anastasia and I wrote letters to each other, sent pictures by snail mail (remember that?), and shared the countless stories and events in our lives. Like most of us today, social media made it possible for our friendship to continue, as letters and postcards are now direct messages and photo sharing. We have never missed a beat in our long friendship!
When rumors started circulating about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, I urged Anastasia to evacuate, with her loved ones, from Kyiv immediately. Unfortunately, her father uses a wheelchair and could not physically travel, and her mother passed away a few years ago. Despite having two teenage children, she could not abandon her dad and leave him behind during this time of great uncertainty. After the war started, they spent their days running in and out of bomb shelters, while Anastasia’s husband worked on mathematical calculations of rocket speed and launch location to determine if their apartment building could be destroyed. During this turbulent time, her kids did not attend school and most of Anastasia’s friends dispersed across Europe looking for safety.
When the United States Government launched the “Uniting for Ukraine” program to assist those affected by Russia's war, I immediately applied to sponsor Anastasia and her family. After receiving her father’s and husband’s blessing and encouragement, Anastasia and her children made the extremely difficult, heartbreaking decision to leave Ukraine on June 14th. After a long, brutal journey through Poland, Anastasia and her two kids, Arina and Anton, arrived in Houston last week. Travel weary, tired, and frightened for the loved ones they left behind, they feel a sense of security and safety in the US, and the daily sounds of emergency sirens no longer cause them panic.
If you can find it in your heart, I’m asking for contributions, no matter how large or small, to help Anastasia and her children replenish the exorbitant cost they paid to escape this senseless war. Please know, my family and I are covering the costs of food, shelter, education, and entertainment here in the United States for my friend and her family.
I know everyone is struggling with increased prices today due to inflation (including myself), however, your donations will provide a sense of security for Anastasia, Arina, and Anton, who arrived just a few days ago with only three suitcases. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and prayers for a quick end to this terrible war in Ukraine.
Organizer
Svetlana Zilberman
Organizer
Bellaire, TX