DAVENPORT, Iowa — Quad City area community members with roots in Ukraine met Saturday afternoon for a lunch filled with traditional Ukrainian food and to discuss how to help the war-torn country.
"We were thinking about how we can collect funds to support Ukraine," Lyuda Lyashemko said. "The help to Ukraine is still needed, and as you know, the war has not stopped."
Many from the group have friends and family still living in Ukraine and have been donating on their own, but now they're trying to establish a larger fundraiser as well as start a local nonprofit organization to help Ukraine.
"When I just came back from Ukraine, I felt good, I've accomplished something," Lyashemko said. "But then I saw the video of delivery of medications that they brought all those supplies to the front line, and I'm thinking like, 'Man, this is not enough. We still need more. They need more.' We could hear the news about people being hurt and the army not having enough supplies. So I started thinking about what are the ways that we can help and financially, I cannot help anymore. I cannot contribute anymore. So I was thinking I would ask the public for help."
They've partnered with the Genesis Foundation and are running a fundraiser to provide food and toys to the children in Ukraine.
Lyashemko is also fundraising to send medical aid and protective gear to the military.
You can donate to the children's fundraiser through Genesis by texting UACHILD to 41444. For medical aid donations, you can text QCA and for protective gear donations, you can text UA22 to (202) 858-1233.