Help Support a Ukrainian Family - Glenwood, MN

Everything has changed for the M. Family since the war in Ukraine began. They live in a coastal city in Ukraine that was once busy with visitors in the summer, much like Glenwood. Now, the beach is deemed unsafe due to mines and explosives in the sand. And the water, well, that has also been impacted. Beautiful blue waters are now full of pollution due to the destruction of the Kakhovaka dam, sending dangerous metals, machine oil and debris down river.

Bomb sirens sound at all times of day and night. With no basement in their apartment building, they have no choice but to pull their daughter to their bed and cup their hands over her ears so she can sleep at night. But sleep is not so easy as a parent when you lay in the darkness listening to the sounds of war drones and missiles flying through the sky, praying they don't stop close to you.

Public schools and daycares are closed indefinitely. Jobs are getting scarce. Abandoned homes overgrown with weeds and buildings destroyed by missiles are replacing the landscape of what used to once be a vibrant and thriving city.

But the worst is yet to come.

From what we're told, anyone that lived in Ukraine through the winter last year says this one will be even worse. Fuel for heat and electricity are scarce. Businesses cannot function with limited hours of electricity available, cutting wages and jobs. The days are long, cold and dark.

Last year, the M. Family used a car battery to power a single light in their apartment so their daughter could play with dolls in her bedroom. It's a reminder of how much we take for granted.

It is a heartbreaking choice to leave behind your home, family and friends, but it's a choice that must be made for the M. Family to keep their daughter safe. They will have to start from scratch when they arrive in the United States. That's where we step in.

As a sponsor group we help them find housing, get them connected with jobs and help their daughter get enrolled in school. We give them rides to appointments, assist with government documentation and show them around the area.

There are also financial needs - and that's where you can help.

100% of the funds received will be used to support the family in settling into a safe home - the first step in rebuilding their lives. And even better, we have been selected to receive a matching grant which means every dollar donated here through this GoFundMe will be matched!

This money helps pay their apartment rent deposit and the first months of rent while they find jobs. It's money to put food in the cupboards, pots for cooking, plates and bowls. It also helps us to buy them basic toiletries and bedding so their initial needs are met once they arrive, so they can focus on getting their lives back up and running.

We invite you to make a gift of support to help this family in their difficult journey, knowing your donation will be doubled through the matching grant.

Small gifts from big hearts make great waves.

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT

At MECO7 in Glenwood, Minnesota, we believe everyone deserves a happy home. That's why we are joining the Minnewaska community in sponsoring a second Ukrainian family seeking refuge in the United States. We are working through an organization called Alight (wearealight.org), a nonprofit organization in Minnesota that partners with Welcome.US in connecting Ukrainian families with United States sponsors.

Since February 2022, over three million Ukrainians, mainly women and children, have been forced to leave their country for the safety of their families. Our sponsorship team is in contact with such a family in need from Ukraine. They have had to relocate several times prior to having to flee the country in order to protect their children from the ravages of war.

When Ukrainian refugees arrive in Minnesota, they come with very little - usually what they can fit in a suitcase and the clothes they are wearing. 100% of the received funds will be used to support the family in settling into a safe home - the first step in rebuilding their lives.

We are honored to have been selected to receive a matching grant through the Welcome.US Sponsor Fund to help support the beneficiaries, which means every dollar donated through this GoFundMe page will be matched! What a difference your donation will make for this family and their young daughter as they leave their entire lives behind to seek safety.

To learn more about the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program and how to become a sponsor, visit wearealight.org or welcome.us. For more information on the Minnewaska project, contact us at [email redacted] or visit us at MECO7.com.