Help Anastasiia and Orphans of Southeast Ukraine

 A word from Amanda Liljedahl:
Our personal connection with Ukraine began three years ago when we became involved with a hosting program which placed Ukrainian orphans with American families for a month at Christmas and then again over the summer, to get these young and vulnerable children out of their orphanages, enjoy recreational experiences, and experience family life for the first time. We found the experience to be much more than that as the children not only gave us a new perspective but opened our hearts. We have since been working to adopt our host daughter, Anastasiia, who has become a very special part of our family over the past three years.

The past two weeks have been agonizing as we learned that her orphanage in Southeastern Ukraine was near the front lines of this war, leaving these children who have already endured so much, terrified and fearing for their lives. They were without power, water and running very low on supplies, hiding in the orphanage’s basement as explosions blasted outside. With deteriorating conditions and worried a safe corridor might not open in time, their director called for their emergency evacuation by bus and train to Poland two days ago. We now wait with baited breath for our prayers to be answered and get word they she and the 106 children traveling from her orphanage have made it safely to Poland.

My dearest friends and Holy Cross roommates, have put this page together to now raise funds for these displaced orphans from the Gulaypilska Special School and others like them. We hope to use the monies raised to help with the immediate needs of these children who have no families of their own and have now seen war first hand, as they adjust to life in refugee camps. We will work to get supplies to them including clothing, food, sanitary needs, bathing supplies and comfort items. We also plan to use any available funds to help get these children to America when we are able. After all these young children have been through, they deserve nothing more than the love and safety of a family. Thank you for supporting us in our mission to help the young and helpless victims of this war.