Cohousing-L Mailing List: Please help Ukrainian children

[Marty Maskall (mmaskall]

From: Charles Durrett <charles.durrett [at] cohousingco.com 
<mailto:charles.durrett [at] cohousingco.com> > 

 

Hey friends,               

I heard a story the other day that really touched my heart. A Ukrainian woman, 
Alona, and her daughter and mother fled the horrible bombing and destruction in 
their home town and travelled hundreds of miles to the Polish border to escape. 
Her husband and father are still in Ukraine and she lives with the daily fear 
that she may never see them again. She worries about how she can take care of 
her child, while making a new home in a new land.

 I know this has been tugging at your heart, as it has been tugging at mine.

 I’ve connected with this group, Poland Welcomes who are working around the 
clock to meet the basic needs of Ukrainian moms like Alona. But they want to do 
more, and so do I, and I bet you do too.

 The Ukrainian kids need space to heal and be kids.

The children are really suffering in unfamiliar surroundings, missing their 
friends and family, school and daily structure. They need safe and nurturing 
environments to help them cope with the trauma, and to give them that 
all-important sense of community. Their moms also need to know their kids are 
safe while they do the work of figuring out their future.

 That’s why I’m going to Poland at the end of April.

Some of you know that I have designed about a hundred childcare centers in a 
former life. Poland Welcomes has identified five structures that together with 
your support we can rehab into childcare and educational spaces for the 
Ukrainian children. 

Your help is needed to make this happen!

I’ve put together a team of cohousers and others who will be leaving as soon as 
April 20th to start the groundwork for this effort. Christine Hoffman from 
Tierra Nueva Cohousing started the 
<https://www.gofundme.com/f/Charles-Durrett-housing-for-Ukrainian-refugees?member=18185029&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer>
  GoFundMe page for this effort. Robyn Harris, also from Tierra Nueva Cohousing 
will go early to assess resources and logistics. And Hans Rasmusen from 
Denmark, home of Cohousing, will work with the local builders to transform the 
structures into safe and functional spaces for the kids. We are eager to get 
started!

 Cohousers and friends, you can help these children find the security they need.

$100,000 is needed right now to help these children. Please visit the 
<https://www.gofundme.com/f/Charles-Durrett-housing-for-Ukrainian-refugees?member=18185029&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer>
  GoFundMe page 
<https://www.gofundme.com/f/Charles-Durrett-housing-for-Ukrainian-refugees?member=18185029&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer>
  here and give generously.

The refugee moms and children need your help. You can keep up with our progress 
through that GoFundMe link too. Everyone on the team is paying their own way, 
so any support you provide will be going directly toward helping the Ukrainian 
refugees in Poland.  Please also consider sharing the link with as many people 
as you can.

 Thanks in advance for your support!

 

Chuck Durrett    

 
<https://www.gofundme.com/f/Charles-Durrett-housing-for-Ukrainian-refugees?member=18185029&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer>
 Durrett Ukrainian Refugee Childcare Initiative