WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KRON) -- A Ukrainian family living in Walnut Creek has been overwhelmed by the community response to their Grassroots donation drive.
What started as a simple plea for help online has led to large monetary donations and van loads of supplies.
Alyona Merritt and her husband Michael Milshtein let any thoughts of feeling powerless wash off shortly after watching Russian armed forces barrel through their home country of Ukraine.
Knowing that from their home in Walnut Creek, they can help their countrymen and women out.
"It's gonna make difference for someone. It's not gonna win the war. It's not gonna win the informational war, the hot war, the cyberwar," said organizer Michael Milshtein. "But somewhere, somebody is going to have a blanket, or a toy or a bandage. So it will make difference for someone."
The couple and their 17-year-old daughter put the word out for help online Tuesday night.
And, by Thursday they have collected enough supplies and medical aid to fill at least 150 boxes.
All being packed by family members and some neighbors who, before recently, were complete strangers.
They are filling a van for multiple shipments to Ukraine and to refugees in Poland.
"It's all coming together, by itself. Purely on adrenaline," Merritt said.
For brief moments, the group sings in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Even video conferencing with a close friend hiding his family in the nation's capital, Kyiv.
"It's crazy because my kids, they spend of the days in the shelter, and it's horrible," said Ukrainian Andrii Kubay.
Merritt hopes for an end to the bloodshed but does not see that happening quickly.
"I know that Russians are stubborn and there's an agenda there that they're driving, and I also heard that they said we're gonna go to the end. And, I know that Ukrainians will not bend. And, this is a really bad combination," Merritt said.
Making this effort to provide humanitarian aid is even more important.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/IxodNMO
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