Morris family brings Ukrainian family to USA

My husband and I are posting this fundraiser for a Ukrainian family we brought to the United States from Kyiv as war refugees. The wife, Angela, was my best friend in elementary and middle school growing up. When Russia invaded Ukraine, she was living in Kyiv with her husband, Volodymyr, while their 15-year-old adopted daughter was studying in Poland.

 

After leaving Ukraine and spending time in several refugee centers in various European countries, we flew them to Tijuana, Mexico where they spent 52 hours waiting at the border to cross into the United States. On April 10, they were granted Humanitarian Parole and have been living in Richmond , VA at an apartment we rented for them ever since. (The picture above is of the family arriving to Richmond airport with all their belonging safely stored in two backpacks. )

 

Ukrainians arriving to United States do not receive government support, health insurance or other subsidies. Upon arrival, providing that they have all the necessary documents, they start an arduous process of resettlement, which takes months and years, each step more complicated than the previous. The only way they can survive in the country after fleeing war is through the help of friends like us, churches and the goodwill of people around them.

 

Through this fundraising, we hope to raise $30,000 for the family to cover the cost of a used car, 12-months of insurance and some gas money to help them get to the many day jobs (landscaping and cleaning) they have been picking up around Richmond, and mounting immigration expenses. This investment will provide them independence, the ability to work, and the feeling of being productive members of their host country. These are hard-working and honest people whose lives were torn by unimaginable cruelty and injustice. Hard work and doing good for others is how they are dealing with the trauma of war.

 

Bill Lohmann of the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote an excellent article about their new life in America.

Link: https://richmond.com/news/local/lohmann-new-to-richmond-ukrainian-family-making-their-way-in-a-new-world/article_3bb45026-fb1a-5da0-86c0-1323f08f34a8.html

We appreciate any help you can offer. Thank you again.