JIM THORPE, Pa. — It's been a number of sleepless nights for Tetyana Sakharova of Albrightsville, who is checking up on her family in Ukraine daily.
Her brother is in a Slovakian refugee camp with his family, and her parents are hiding in western Ukraine.
"It's hard because my father is there, my brother's family is there, all of my friends are there. I just came back from Ukraine on the 23rd, so the day before it started," said Sakharova.
Feeling stuck, Sakharova wanted to help. She's now collecting supplies for Ukrainian refugees.
"People come as refugees from the east side, with their kids, without anything, like nothing at all. So they need everything they can use," Sakharova said.
Every school in the Jim Thorpe Area School District will have a donation box. They're looking for donations of nonperishable goods, diapers, baby food, and medicine to send over to the people in Ukraine.
"I'm excited that we have people in our district that want to help, not only students in the district, but you know, people in need across the world," said Jim Thorpe Area Superintendent John Rushefski.
Donations are given to a nonprofit in Philadelphia, shipped to Poland, and then to Ukraine.
"It's hard," Sakharova said. "It's hard mentally to understand people have a life two weeks ago, was happy and now they away from their house, from their life and afraid to sleep at night."
Sakharova believes the people of Ukraine will need help for weeks and months to come.
You can purchase donations off of the Amazon wishlist.
If you would like to send a monetary donation to help with shipping, checks can be sent to:
New World Association of Emigrants from Eastern Europe
9857 Bustle Avenue,
Philadelphia, PA 19115
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