IN UKRAINE
Cash for Refugees is all about our shifts. We go on trips to meet Ukrainian families who had to leave their homes because of the war. We sit down with them. We listen. They tell us what happened to them. They tell us about their pain, their strength, their hope.
These conversations connect us. Connect you with them.
KHARKIV - March 8-11, 2024.
Oscars and Bomb Shelters: Two Worlds Collide in Ukraine
As millions of Americans tuned in to the Oscar Ceremony, eagerly discussing the celebrities' gowns and celebrating the win of "20 Days in Mariupol", the CFR shift #25 in Ukraine faced a very different reality. While the glitz and glamour of Hollywood took center stage, our volunteers found themselves seeking shelter from Russian missiles. Their mission to meet and help displaced families in Kharkiv suddenly becoming even riskier.
The team had originally planned to help 350 people who had been forced to flee their homes in Kupyansk, now seeking safety in Kharkiv. However, the constant threat of air raids and the lack of power meant that only 250 could actually reach CFR’s meeting site. It was simply too unsafe to travel! Despite the challenges, the volunteers remained steadfast in their commitment to providing aid and support to those who needed it most and made it there.
Our volunteer Inga wrote about her experience:
"On Saturday, March 9, we arrived in Kharkiv to collect data on over 250 displaced families. We spent over 9 hours working in a school building, managing to register everyone who came. The school director showed us their bomb shelter—a stark reminder of the daily reality in Ukrainian cities. That night, we walked to the train station in complete darkness, as air raids in Kharkiv are frequent and deadly, with the Russian border just 25 miles away." (Her video from that walk is on the right).
The financial assistance provided by our supporters and the BlueCheck Foundation serves as a lifeline for these families, many of whom have lost everything due to the destruction of their homes. These one-time payments we provide offer immediate, short-term help. They allow people to buy whatever they need most. A new window to replace one shattered by a drone. Wood to heat a home as Russia targets infrastructure and blackouts are frequent. Or just a simple toy to brighten their child's day amidst the war.
So as Americans celebrated the Oscar-winning story of "20 Days in Mariupol," our team in Ukraine lived a different story…. They didn’t watch the awards. There was no glitz or glamour. Just the darkness of bomb shelters.. And the weight of knowing that every family they helped had lost so much. But in that darkness, they held onto something powerful: the knowledge that showing up for each other, even in the hardest times, can make all the difference in someone's story.
Photos of our volunteers. On the left: Frequent air alerts. Top right: meeting and speaking with IDPs. Bottom right: bomb shelter in a school basement. The walk to the train station in complete darkness. KRYVYI RIH - January 5-9, 2024
In Kryvyi Rih, a city deeply scarred by Russian attacks, including devastating missile strikes and attempts to flood the area, Shift #24 provided crucial assistance to families evacuated from frontline areas, including those with young children and elderly individuals. Here we were able to help 437 families including:
• 230 families with 341 children
• 207 elderly families with members of age 65 and older
BUCHA - November 6-9, 2023
Our American-Ukrainian volunteers, who were assigned to the shift #23, visited Bucha, a town tragically marked by the atrocities committed by the Russian army during its occupation. Our team engaged with parents in Bucha, Borodyanka, and Irpin who were tragically widowed during the Russian Army's occupation and are now raising children under 14 years old.
During this shift, we were able to help 178 widowed parents with children under the age of 14.
Natasha Dukach, CEO of Cash for Refugees, beside a banner reading 'Kick Russia out of the UN'.
KALYNIVSKE - the Ukrainian-Jewish settlement
For shift no. 22, a group of American volunteers visited a remote Ukrainian-Jewish settlement in the de-occupied territory of Ukraine in early September this year. We were impressed by the efforts of the local village administration.
During this shift, we were able to help:
321 total families helped
11 widows with children under the age of 14
133 total children under the age of 14 we met there
238 elderly families with members of age 65 and older
ODESA
Our team worked in the Odesa region for shift no. 21, where we directly met with the victims and the IDPs after they relocated to Odesa from the flooded villages around the Kakhovka dam. We helped hundreds of people who lived under Russian occupation up till recently including:
146 families
143 children under the age of 14
19 single mothers with two or three children under the age of 14
36 elderly families with members of age 65 and older
KAKHOVKA DAM COLLAPSE
When the Kakhovka dam collapsed, the CFR team saw the heart-wrenching chaos that unfolded. Entire villages were swallowed by floodwaters, but our volunteers were there, offering hope and working tirelessly to ease the pain and bring comfort to those in need. With STARLINK and generators, our autonomous team provided crucial support, working with refugees from the affected areas.
During this shift, we were able to help 958 individuals including:
338 children under the age of 14
two elders in their late nineties
42 senior adults between the ages of 84 and 94
and 52 single mothers shouldering the weight of their young ones.
KHERSON REGION
Our team works in the liberated Kherson region. We helped hundreds of people who lived under Russian occupation up till recently including:
1530 families
840 children
960 elderly individuals
24 disabled persons
TERNOPIL
Our operations in Ternopil didn't stop even when there was no electricity or heat. CFR volunteers helped:
1700 families
1777 kids
525 older people
80 people with disabilities
LUTSK
Our team of volunteers together with Volyn Youth Center have been operating on the ground in Lutsk, Ukraine. Here we aided:
2057 families
2022 kids
680 elderly
123 individuals with disabilities
CHERNIVTSI
We operated in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, supporting families displaced by war who were living in temporary spaces and refugee camps. The city of Chernivtsi was estimated to house over 100,000 people, increasing its population by more than 50%. We worked closely with Ukrainian authorities on the ground to establish a secure and scalable way to support families in need for the long term.
During our deployment there, we provided assistance to:
more than 5,072 families
5000 children
1,353 seniors
421 disabled individuals
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