ASWforUkraine Project

Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukraine has left its people grappling with unfathomable challenges, including decimated infrastructure and widespread homelessness. According to a study by the Kyiv School of Economics, the war’s damage to Ukraine is estimated to have reached a staggering $108.3 billion, displacing the Ukrainian people by the millions.

Some Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to other cities, and an estimated 8 million sought refuge in neighboring countries. And as we head into the coldest months of the year, supply-chain breakdowns and waning support services threaten to leave many without the basics needed to survive.

That’s why the Makulinski Family Foundation has proudly teamed up with the Rotary Club of Toledo, providing $50,000 in matching funds to support the American School of Warsaw’s (ASW) #ASWforUkraine project. The ASW is doing its part to help its Ukrainian neighbors, including distributing essential food to Ukraine and refugees in Warsaw during the harsh winter months.

ASW is a non-profit college prep school serving about 1,000 Pre-K through 12th-grade students in Warsaw, Poland. Founded in 1953, it has served as the premier English language international school in Warsaw for 60 years. Students at the ASW immerse themselves in community service through a holistic curriculum aimed at creating compassionate global citizens.

It’s from this dedication to service that the #ASWforUkraine service learning project was born.

[https://youtu.be/F99eCo0BpQY] 

ASW often worked closely with the refugee center located near the school. So when the Ukrainian conflict reached a tipping point in February 2022, it was only natural for ASW students, parents, and faculty to spring into action.

To make the refugees feel welcome and cared for, the ASW community housed nearly 300 refugees, served thousands of hot meals, and raised almost $300,000 in donations.

In November 2022, ASW asked Rotary Warsaw International, Rotary District of Northwest Ohio, and Rotary Club of Toledo to help expand their efforts.

Using their months of experience and generous donations from supply chain partners, ASW students, and volunteers requested funds to pack and distribute essential food boxes to refugees and areas of high need.

ASWforUkraine Project

The boxes include essential items such as:

  • Milk
  • Beans
  • Pasta
  • Flour
  • Jam
  • Soup
  • Rice
  • Canned Meat

With a gift of $50,000, the ASW can ship pallets of these food boxes into high-need areas in Ukraine, feeding more than 1,200 for an entire week. They’re also able to fund continued food distribution to 750 people per week at the #ASWforUkraine Center for eight additional weeks.

A Day at the #ASWforUkraine Center

For those of us who live far from the daily realities of the Russo-Ukrainian War, it can be challenging to picture how crucial these food boxes have become to the refugees in Warsaw and beyond. These images help illustrate the impact the #ASWforUkraine project has had on the people it serves every day.

ASWforUkraine Project

It’s a Saturday morning in Warsaw, Poland, and refugees are gathering to collect some life-sustaining essentials from the #ASWforUkraine Center.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

ASWforUkraine Project

In preparation, student volunteers have sorted through donations, gathered supplies, and packed food boxes for distribution.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

An hour before opening, a crowd begins to form outside the #ASWforUkraine Center.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

ASW students try to keep spirits high by serving homemade brownies and other small treats to the Ukrainian people as they wait to receive their food boxes.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

Ukrainian children play games and read books while waiting for their parents to receive food boxes at the #ASWforUkraine Center.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

In Volodymyr, Ukraine, people gather at a distribution site to receive the food boxes that have been shipped across the border.

 

ASWforUkraine Project

These Ukrainians have received their food boxes—they’ll be able to feed themselves and their families for the week.

 

Rotary Hopes To Keep the Relationship Going and Growing

While the food boxes help serve a vital need for the Ukrainian community, there is still much work to be done in the wake of the widespread destruction of the country’s infrastructure. Even if the war comes to a halt tomorrow, Ukraine will need years of support to see it through the restoration process.

One of the powers of Rotary is that the more we understand, the more we can be of service to the communities we serve. This first step towards supporting the ASW has opened the door to what will hopefully become an ongoing effort to aid the people of Ukraine in their recovery.

If you’d like to join us in supporting ASW in their efforts to pack more food boxes for Ukrainian refugees, you can learn how to donate here.

 

 

- Article by Amanda Kern (January 2023)