SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Families are being ripped apart by war as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian women and children leave their husbands and fathers behind to fight.
Two South Florida residents are leading refugee efforts in Moldova. Emmanuil Grinshpun and his team set up 11 refuge facilities in the Eastern European country.
They are temporary homes for over 300,000 women and children.
One of the refugees called to check in after arriving with little to nothing.
Elena Kucheruk, a mother and former healthcare representative, left her home in a Kyiv suburb behind as Russian troops began bombing the city.
“I’ve got only one family picture because there is no space on the bus. It’s maximum one suitcase, or you have your dog. You have to choose,” said Kucheruk. “I am 47. I have an 8-year-old son, and I cannot give him any safety in my house. I have old parents, and I cannot bring my father because he’s very sick.”
She said these are the kinds of decisions people in Ukraine are currently up against.
The shelters are filled with children.
Ukrainians are trading their beds back home for cots on the floor.
For many refugees, this is a best-case scenario.
Marsha Yada of Laniado Sanz Medical Center is coordinating mental healthcare at the shelters.
“It’s important for people to understand, they think that when they leave Ukraine, ‘Oh, they’re safe,’ but what happens when they get out of Ukraine?” said Yada. “Who is feeding? Who is clothing [them]? Who is sheltering?”
Kucheruk said she’ll head to Romania, but if she’s still standing, she hopes to one day return home.
As she fights for survival, Yada and Grinshpun are charging South Florida residents to do more than stand with the people of Ukraine.
“There are resources that are needed, and what can we do as a community to help that?” said Yada.
Yada and Grinshpun will also be hosting a solidarity event on March 24. If you would like to make a donation to help the efforts in Moldova, click here. For more information about Laniado Hospital and the Laniado Development Fund, click here.
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