- Helping Ukrainian refugees one service at a time
Win served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the 90's and lived in Russia and Armenia and spent most of his time across the Black Sea from Ukraine. He learned to speak Russian and grew to love the people and the area.
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, Mindie and Win both became absorbed with trying to find a way to help our brothers and sisters across the ocean on the other side of the world. We just had this strong feeling that we needed to find a way to help, so we bought our tickets to Poland to see what we could do and where we could help. We hoped that by mixing a lot of love, with a little bit of language, we could find people, places, and opportunities to help. We have been doing so ever since.
When we started looking for ways to help Ukraine the demand was overwhelming, but we quickly were able to identify ways to truly make an impact on those being forced from their homes. So many families were losing everything; it was clear that even the smallest acts of service brought a level of peace to their lives.
Whether you are equipped to sponsor a family, donate funds as a one-time contribution, travel to Poland or Ukraine, donate goods and supplies, or even volunteer your time helping Ukrainian refugees learn how to navigate a new country - these efforts are appreciated and help to support individuals and families establish a new life. All levels of service are appreciated
Alen and Anya have an amazing story. Anya with her 2 children, and her sister Vica, fled the war within the first month. After traveling to several different countries and refugee centers, they ended up at a refugee center in Krakow Poland. This refugee center was known as the Plaza, and was an abandoned shopping mall converted to an enormous bunkhouse for up to 1,000 people at one time.
Alen, who himself was a Bosnian refugee as a teenager was working as a chef in Spain when the war started. Having been a refugee himself, he felt an overwhelming desire to leave his home and work and go help. He ended up in Krakow Poland, ran a food tent for World Central Kitchen, and lived with the Ukrainian refugees in the Plaza.
Living at the plaza and working in the World Central Kitchen together, Alen and Anya met and were married. They decided to find more stability for their new family and came to the United States on the U4U (Uniting for Ukraine) program. While establishing their new family life in the United States, their hearts and minds are still with their Ukrainian brothers and sisters, and they are working tirelessly to continue to provide help and support in any way they can from the other side of the world.
Alen Ruznic and Anya Ruznic on a humanitarian trip back into Ukraine
Volunteers (from left): Win Packer, Mindie Packer, Lexi Packer, Danny Spencer, Marisol Stamps, Alen Ruznic, Boyd Byelich, Mike Thaller, & Fred Stamps.
These amazing people have participated in trips to Poland and Ukraine and have helped scale the work we are doing to support Ukrainian refugees who are in the United States as well as those who have fled, or are still living in Ukraine.
This is our dream time, the people who truly make magic happen. A huge thanks to all of them and those who continue to donate supplies and funds to make it all possible.
Our efforts are focused on helping Ukrainian refugees who have been driven from their homes, and find themselves in need of supplies and assistance both within Ukrainian borders and outside.
We are a 501.c.3 EIN #: 93-1807699