The Campaign for Ukrainian Families
On Feb 24th, after a sleepless night following Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, I shakily and quickly created a campaign to raise funds to support this team. Below is the content of that campaign and the updates I posted there.
Marta, one of our talented project managers with her son, Darko.
WLCM (pronounced "Welcome") is a software studio with a largely Ukrainian team. We are a tight-knit group that includes many young families. We had four babies in the last year. Over the past few weeks, we've been coordinating and discussing worst-case scenarios, but today was a living nightmare. Our Slack has turned from discussions about technical scope to sharing coordinates and the keys to apartments in what we think will be safe zones. Ukraine is surrounded by an aggressive Russian army, planes are grounded, and cities throughout the country are being bombed simultaneously. We invite you to help us help these families move to safety, to recover, and to rebuild. Thank you for your compassion and generosity.
Update Feb 26
In the beginning, we were working to get everyone moved west, preferably to Poland, and over half the team has made it to relatively safe zones.
Two are single moms, Anna and Marta, who made it to Poland with their sons, ages 3 and 5. They waited in traffic nervously but also in good spirits. Anna's message as she sat in line, "We'll wait as long as needed"
They are reporting incredible generosity and collaboration at the border. From Marta, "The Ukrainian-Polish border today is an area of brave women who are staying in 20-30 hour traffic jams, sharing info, helping each other to take kids to some safe place. I'm proud of my country. I'm proud of my people."
Since then, it's become increasingly risky to move. Within a day, men 18-60 were banned from leaving the country.
One of our dads dropped his wife and baby in Hungary and is attempting to drive to Dnipro right now to take care of his elderly mom, who isn't healthy enough to travel. Gas stations are dry, roads are increasingly dangerous and impassable, and he's been driving for 30+ hours straight at this point, stopping only to nap periodically. He did take a moment to send the group an article about Elon Musk activating the Starlink service in Ukraine, which he was stoked about.
Four families with young children and three infants between them are stuck in Eastern Ukraine. We've identified housing for them in the west, but they're unable to travel because of the risk. They have moved in and out of bomb shelters. We're checking in morning and night.
I keep a color-coded spreadsheet of everyone's safety status and location, an ombre from red to green. Over half the team is green right now, only a small group is red.
There's unseen depth in the green, though. They experience the relief of safety, then the sudden shock of realization that the things in their backpack are all they have now, that for every one or two loved ones with them are dozens who aren't anymore. There's the real fear that they'll never see them again, that they'll never go home again. And there's the regret of having for some reason in their panic packed two pairs of scissors but not the cherished memento from their wedding that they may never hold again.
There is the adrenaline-fueled survival and then the fall into a new, bereft reality. The team is everywhere on this spectrum right now.
I've bumped up hard against the limits of USD. I couldn't use it to save Lilia, in a basement with her infant outside of Kharkov, or Sergey with his babies in a bomb shelter. It couldn't clear the roads for them, push the Russian troops back. So often I hear people say on social media something along the lines of, "enough with the prayers, send money!" but I found myself on Friday night just wanting prayers. All the prayers. What else can we do in these moments but try to wrap them up in light.
These funds will move the needle on the other side; I believe in my heart that we'll all make it there. When the shock of loss hits, thanks to you there will be money for a flight or a crib or bath towels. Thanks to you. Thank you.
Update Feb 28
Anatolii left Zaporizhzhia yesterday morning with his wife and young children. Zaporizhzhia was bombed last night. The fighting is escalating, unfortunately.
This leaves three families still in the east - one in Cherkasy, one outside of Kharkov, one in Dnipro. Two are young families with babies under one, the other is a son caring for his elderly mother. Whether or not to attempt to move is a difficult calculation.
Your expressions of support buoy spirits. They make a real difference. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Update Mar 4
Oleksandr was able to get his mom out of Dnipro but has decided to stay himself to help defend the city. Dnipro is just north of Zaporizhzhia. Alex O. is also there. The two families with young babies decided to attempt to move today and both made it to their first stops safely. It will take 2-3 more days to get west. We have housing waiting for them in Lviv. We are holding the vision of safe passage.
Thank you again for your support. We will be evaluating needs once everyone gets to safety, and I'll be reporting back on the use of these funds. In the meantime, we have what we need, so I'll be closing this fundraiser.
The team suggests the following organizations to donate to:
The Red cross in Ukraine https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate/
Help children with cancer during the war https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/war-in-ukraine-help-children-with-cancer
Ukrainian Congress Committee of Amerika https://ucca.org
Ukrainian official Humanitarian aid: https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-rahunok-dlya-gumanitarnoyi-dopomogi-ukrayintsyam-postrajdalim-vid-rosiyskoyi-agresiyi
Update Mar 9
Most of the team has made it west, to relative safety. Alex O. is headed to Vinnitsiya tomorrow. Oleksandr continues to stay in Dnipro to be of help however he can. Many other families are attempting this dangerous journey with their children, and we continue to hold them in our thoughts and prayers. Peace and love to Ukraine.
Update Mar 11
Today, the day after Alex O. left Dnipro for Vinnitsiya, Russia began shelling Dnipro. Oleksandr is still in Dnipro. He returned from a funeral to air raid sirens. Our COO's parents are also in Dnipro, with her brother. This is where I run out of words.
