Local businesses and schools rally together to send aid to Ukrainian refugees
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - As the Russian-Ukrainian war continues, a local business owner was looking for a way send help to the refugees fleeing from their homes in Ukraine.
"All of us in the community, you know, we've been watching everything go on in the news and I think all of us just felt a little bit helpless," says McKenna Perkins, one of the organizers behind this drive.
She says their goal is to collect items that can then be used to build hygiene kits to send to the various gathering spots for the refugees in Moldova, Romania and Poland.
"We have toothbrushes, toothpastes, baby diapers, we have baby food, um, feminine hygiene pads," she said. "There's first aid kits. Really, there's a pretty inclusive list of the things that the refugees are really in true need of."
Donations are being accepted at the various D&L locations in Eastern Idaho, various schools in Idaho Falls school District #91 and Reed's Dairy locations.
Seghiy "Gus" Stavynskyy is from Ukraine, and he says he's thrilled by how his adopted community has come and rallied behind the cause to help out people they may never meet.
"It's really it warms my heart seeing signs out of genuine refugees people care," he said. "People want to do anything they can here to help the people in Ukraine, the refugees, it's really heartwarming. And I really appreciate everything that people do here."
The spearhead of the project, Krischelle Petersen, says she believes this drive truly offers a unique opportunity to give help to those in need.
"Being able to donate the hygiene items or the bedding items or the medical supplies is wonderful because you are you have a physical product and you know exactly what you’re donating," she said.
Donations will be continued to be accepted at the various locations until April 9, where they will then be assembled into the kits. A full list of what is needed and where to go can be found here. The kits will be then assembled and sent on their way to Eastern Europe.
"We have arranged for a semi to be able to take these goods down to American Fork where they will be repackaged and/or prepared."
Perkins and Petersen say the outreach of the community and the generosity in the area has left them truly in awe.
