Welcome.

Let us introduce ourselves and explain why we are doing this. Our names are Paulina Linford, Agata Reimers, Olla Dedic, Patricia Wójcik & Monika Wójcik. We were born and partly raised in Poland, and have family and friends in Poland/Ukraine who are very dear to our hearts. Our family friend, Father Andrzej Sternik, has opened up his Parish in Chelm (very close to the Ukrainian border), to help Ukrainian refugees.

Many of our friends in Australia have asked us how they can donate. Please read on if you would like to help.

Many of us would like to help our friends from Ukraine who are in a very difficult situation and have no other option but to flee their homeland. In today’s world you may not know what to do and/or have a natural distrust of organizations or individuals involved in collecting for those in need.

We can assure you that any donations here, will go straight to Ukrainian refugees. We were born in the

Lublin province of Poland, which is just on the border with Ukraine and Belarus. We fled Poland during the last wave of communism and understand very well the human tragedy evolving in our neighbouring country. At the moment our friends and family are almost all involved in assisting refugees in various ways as they stream across the border into Poland. Some have generously given their own homes to house Ukrainan refugees.

We would like to encourage you to financially support the Mary’s Sanctuary in Chelm. This is

our family’s parish, which at the moment receives around 40 refugees every day and offers them

accommodation, meals, basic household items. The priests and countless volunteers are working tirelessly to organize work and more permanent accommodation for the refugees. The count is over 2,000 so far and we know this figure will continue to grow as the situation evolves over the coming days and weeks.

Every family has different needs, one day volunteers are procuring bedding/sleeping bags, the next

different types of prams and child related items, clothing and food. One of the main activities is

transporting people to safe places. Refugees are being taken in by ordinary households and charity

organisations. They are mostly women and children. They are exhausted, scared, often sick, with not much more than one bag they have managed to bring from home after leaving everything behind – including their own fathers who chose to stay and protect their country/home.

Please find it in your hearts to help those that are dedicating themselves to supporting the refugees

through this difficult time. Together we can make a difference to these people’s lives, it’s a desperate

situation. Even if you are not religious, please consider donating as this is not a Christian tragedy it’s a human tragedy. We are all one.

You can check out the leading priests page for updates and photos of the humanitarian activity: Andrzej Sternik https://www.facebook.com/andrzej.sternik.773/about

We will also update this page as often as possible to show you how your precious money is working to help these families in need.

Anything helps.

Thank you so much for your help, kindness and generosity,

Paulina, Agata & Olla.