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On Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, everything changed for Bolgachenko, who came to the United States 22 years ago. She awoke that morning to news of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“That day, we were all on our phones just watching Telegram (a social media platform) and following every explosion,” said the Redding resident. “I decided I had to do something.”
That something was sending anything that could help the war-ravaged population. How did she and her colleague Dmytro Dovgan, also of Redding, organize this effort? Through Facebook.
Scrolling her Facebook feed for information, Bolgachenko came across someone in Ukraine she knew through her brother who transformed his gym into a warehouse for supplies and who was distributing various necessities personally by truck.
Requests were coming in to the former gym and being matched using the platform.
Bolgachenko turned to this acquaintance to help on the ground in Ukraine, and, thus, Help Ukraine With Us, a 501(c)(3) organization, was born and Dovgan became its director.
The first box of supplies left the United States three days later. But it was just one box. Bolgachenko and Dovgan knew they could do more, especially with friends and co-workers reaching out to them asking how they could help.
As word spread on Facebook, both in Ukraine and abroad, Bolgachenko found use for the extra space in the house she had recently moved into and initially thought perhaps too large for her family.
“We started packing donations into the garage and media room almost immediately. My house is topped to the ceiling,” said Bolgachenko. “We figured out quickly what to do with this house.”
Currently the mother of two is collecting cold weather gear, men and women’s clothing, and baby items. Sleeping bags are highly in-demand, as are baby food, diapers, and wipes.
“There’s such demand for so many different items, it’s hard to find something that won’t be used there,” explained Bolgachenko. “People need everything.”
Medical supplies (often donated by hospitals) and mobility items such as wheelchairs and walkers are near the top of the list.
Bolgachenko and her group of volunteers including friends and family have driven around Fairfield County picking up items.
Every six to eight weeks since February, Bolgachenko and Dovgan’s team of volunteers load up U-Hauls and ship one large 40-foot container to Poland, where trucks pick it up and bring it to Ukraine.
It costs close to $4,000 per container from packing it to reaching Ukraine and takes four weeks to arrive. Urgent supplies are sent in smaller packages by parcel services like Meest and arrive in 14 days.
“We’ve sent six containers so far and up to 100 individual boxes through Meest,” added Bolgachenko.
“Americans have been very supportive,” Bolgachenko stressed. “When I mention what I do, people want to help; I haven’t come across anyone with negative feedback. If people can’t donate, they often offer to help or at least to share our Facebook posts. You can’t just sit and do nothing, can you?
“I’ve made a lot of friends through these donations and learned a lot about people. It’s kinda nice.”
For more information or to donate, visit Help Ukraine With Us or email helpukrainewithus@gmail.com.
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