Help Ukrainian Refugees in Romania

Carmen Foster is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

October 2022 Update

With the decrease in the number of refugees and an easing of the crisis that prompted this campaign, we are bringing this fundraiser to a close. Thank you so much for your generous support! If you are interested in continuing to help Casa Ioana, please see their website: http://casaioana.ro/casa-ioana

August 2022 Update

My family and I were able to go to Romania in August and see firsthand the work Casa Ioana is doing. They continue to send aid into Ukraine and coordinate aid coming in from Western Europe charities, in addition to taking care of the orphanage and the needs of the children. They are in the middle of building an addition to the orphanage that will provide housing to disadvantaged but motivated high school students from remote villages. This would allow them access to an excellent high school education that will prepare them to attend college upon graduation. Thank you again for your continued support.

March 2022

Casa Ioana is a nonprofit organization in Romania, forty miles from the Ukraine border. In addition to managing an orphanage, the foundation has served for almost thirty years as a delivery center for aid to the poor living in remote villages. Since the conflict in Ukraine started, refugees have been crossing into Romania at an increasing rate.

My brother, Cristi Dumbraveanu, manages the foundation and has been heavily involved in refugee assistance. In addition to hosting refugees at the orphanage, he has been coordinating food donations from major grocery stores to numerous makeshift refugee shelters in churches and other institutions. He is assisting the refugees in finding passage to their final destination by buying them train, bus, airplane tickets and by taking them to various transportation hubs. The cost just for one group to reach Poland yesterday was 700 euros, roughly $900.

He has 4 volunteer drivers, one of which is my retired father, none of whom have been paid for gas. My brother is well aware that these volunteers will not be able to do this for long--the expense in fuel costs are not sustainable for these volunteers of humble means.

Cristi has issued an urgent plea for help. He will be forced to decrease all these efforts unless he receives financial help. My initial goal for this fundraiser was $10,000 but he quickly responded that he needs at least $50,000.

All the refugees have tragic stories and multiple needs:

Two teens had to flee the country, leaving behind their mother, a sick father, and an elderly grandmother, traveling with strangers to Romania. The foundations bought them bus tickets to central Europe. As they boarded, my brother slipped 200 euros into their hand. Your $200 donation may make it possible for more families that pass through Casa Ioana to leave with 200 euros.
Veronica is eight months pregnant and has three children and a mother she cares for. They all fled to Romania while her husband stayed behind to fight. Cristi connected Veronica to an organization in Germany and was her sent on way with a full tank of gas and sandwiches; in return, she promised to send pictures of baby number four. A $75 donation can pay for filling up her car.
A family of ten Ukrainians had friends in Israel where they could find security and safety, but they lacked the means to get there. Furthermore, the father had great difficulty walking due to a recent surgery. Your $100 donation can buy one of the ten airplane tickets needed.

These are just a few examples of families that were helped this week, and more are coming day and night. Casa Ioana is in dire need of funds to continue offering the level of assistance. Donations of any amount can help tremendously. You can use the link below to subscribe to the daily email updates with pictures and details of Cristi’s work. You will learn that your donation does not help “refugees” but real people like pregnant Veronica, the 14 yrs old Vlad fleeing alone, a scared and panicky Maria and so on.

https://mailchi.mp/1e2724f9e66a/jan2020-newsletter-5136205?e=9995bb4654 - SUBSCRIBE button in the left upper corner

https://casaioana.ro/