Missouri couple leads fundraising efforts to help Ukrainian refugees entering Poland

By Gabriela Vidal

Click here for updates on this story

    EDWARDSVILLE, Illinois (KMOV) — As the world watches the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, Edwardsville residents Michal and Christie Matras are getting a first-hand account from loved ones living just across the border.

“It’s just mind-blowing and terrifying,” said Michal Matras, “A lot of really, really sad stories, and that’s all happening in my hometown.”

Michal Matras was born in Poland, roughly 100 miles from the Ukrainian border. He moved to the Metro East area in 2005, but many of his family members still live in Poland and are currently helping Ukrainian refugees that have been fleeing their country amid the turmoil.

“It’s awful and it’s upsetting, and I’ve seen him cry quite a few times,” said Christie Matras.

“Everybody talks in Poland, that it’s just the beginning,” said Michal Matras. “Over 350,000 women and kids that just cross the border in the first few days.”

They say they could not just sit back and watch their family struggle to help victims of war without finding a way to help.

“There’s a lot of small towns around here with big hearts, and a lot of us felt pretty helpless,” said Christie. “So, I thought maybe we could send them some money. The conversion rate or the exchange rate is really nice… [so] I called my bank Monday morning and asked them if we could wire some money over, and they said they could do that.”

Christie Matras made a Facebook post asking for friends to help donate. They said the response was more than they could have ever expected.

“I think we’re probably over $30,000 USD,” she said.

Since Monday, they now have a Facebook group called Metro East Locals Supporting Ukraine, which is where people can now find ways to help and see how far the money they are collecting is going towards helping Ukrainians in need.

“So, we are getting those donations directly to the people we know and trust in Poland, and they are turning around and buying things like food and diapers and medicine,” said Christie Matras. “And they just bought a generator for a hospital in Ukraine. We have one friend that is very brave and crossing the border and taking supplies into Ukraine.”

They said they are grateful for all the support they have received and plan to continue raising money so long as people back in Poland and Ukraine need it.

“My friends, my really close friends are driving to the border, [and] my brother is driving to the border and picking up as many as they can, random kids, random families,” said Michal Matras. “They don’t even know where they’re going. They want to go anywhere west. And they’re only hoping to bump into somebody generous and somebody kind to take care of them and feed them…provide any kind of shelter.”

The O’Neill Foundation is now helping Christie and Michal Matras with the collection of donations since their efforts took off.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.