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Sevierville non-profit supports refugees fleeing Ukraine

Donations to Volunteers for Ukraine 501 (c)(3) go 100% toward medical, military and food supplies.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It's been over 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. That's three months of worrying, praying and heartache for East Tennessee's Ukrainians. 

Sevier County Ukrainian Iryna Hatfield is taking matters into her own hands. She's been stationed in Poland for the last six weeks giving humanitarian support to refugees fleeing the country. 

She never imagined the war would go on this long.

"After the first week, I thought there was maybe one more week, maybe a couple more days, then maybe a few more weeks," Hatfield said.

But, 100 days later, she's seen some of the worst parts of this war. She's seeing families flee the Eastern part of Ukraine with nothing but a few changes of clothes.

Hatfield said although they are safe from the warzone, fleeing comes with a plethora of other challenges.

"Poland is a small country, and it has about 4 million immigrants from Ukraine, and it's hurting their economy a lot," Hatfield said.

According to Hatfield, some of these refugees are living in camps. Some don't have access to showers.

"It's just not a normal place to live," she said.

That's why Hatfield started a non-profit out of Sevierville called Volunteers for Ukraine. They accept medical, military, and food supplies, in addition to monetary donations. Then, they're bringing these resources to refugees.

"There's a place in Warsaw for 760 families, so, there's a lot of moms with kids, a lot of kids that need special assistance and we give them medical support, and they get food three times a day," Hatfield said.

Volunteers for Ukraine is one of several organizations that is catering to this group of refugees. The organization is also bringing military supplies over the border.

"What we're doing is basically going to the border, crossing the border with volunteer documents," Hatfield said.

She said it's not safe, but it's worth the risk to help the troops. 

"The sirens there, it's just so scary," Hatfield said. "When you enter Ukraine, you can hear them everywhere."

Hatfield, like millions of others, wants the fighting to stop. But, she doesn't see a clear end in sight.

"I think it's way more than 100 more days left in this," she said.

But, she said her non-profit and her country will fight until the end.

You can donate to Volunteers for Ukraine on their website.

   

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