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One year later, North Texas volunteers continue helping war-stricken Ukrainians
With Friday marking one year since Vladimir Putin launched Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there are still millions of people displaced by the fighting. Many North Texans have felt compelled to do what they can to help Ukrainian refugees displaced through no fault of their own.
DALLAS - With Friday marking one year since Vladimir Putin launched Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there are still millions of people displaced by the fighting.
Many are receiving assistance from Ukraine's neighbors and the U.S.
Many North Texans have felt compelled to do what they can to help Ukrainian refugees displaced through no fault of their own.
Among them is a duo from Texas Baptist Men. They will be serving meals to Ukrainians living in Poland on Friday.
Volunteers say the need for outside aid has never been greater.
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Rand Jenkins is with Texas Baptist Men.
"Despair has set in," he said. "It's been a year, and they don't know what home is like or who's there."
Jenkins and another volunteer from North Texas arrived in Poland a few days ago and hit the ground running. Pictures they've taken give a snapshot of the grim situation there.
Many Ukrainian refugees haven't been able to return home since the war started.
"Just sitting with them and listening to their stories, how they got here and reminding them that they're not alone. That's really what they're wanting to hear," Jenkins said.
TBM has been ministering to Ukrainian refugees since the conflict started. They've served more than 50,000 people and distributed more than 300 tons of supplies.
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Jenkins says the focus now is providing shelter and resources, like rental assistance, to some 300 women and children in a town three hours southwest of Warsaw, Poland.
"We’re helping several of the mothers get their children into Polish schools," he said. "But then some are still doing online school back at home in Ukraine."
A Mansfield-based organization is helping Ukrainians too.
Tatiana Baeva is the co-founder of Allies in Youth Development. She says Texans are helping to pack and deliver supplies overseas.
"Delivering them food and supplies. We have helped with multiple generators, plane tickets, train tickets, gas," she said.
Baeva says they have trusted community partners in approximately 150 towns and cities in Ukraine and have provided much-needed assistance to more than 100,000 since the war started.
"We have not stopped for even one day helping the way we could to save people's lives there," she said. "Local people come to help to pack and ship blankets, warm clothes and even food to the leaders and volunteers in Ukraine who deliver that food and pray with the children and people there."
Originally, Allies in Youth Development was focused on helping Ukrainian kids in orphanages. But when the war started, they decided to expand their mission to help all Ukrainians.