NH group has raised $2.6 million for kids displaced by war in Ukraine
BOSTON - Susan Mathison says she and three friends are willing to put their lives on the line for the children of Ukraine. They created their own nonprofit one year ago called The Common Man For Ukraine, providing humanitarian aid for children who have been displaced.
"We are crossing a border into a war-torn country. So far, we've sent 750 tons of food, 10,000 sleeping bags, hundreds of generators, a bloodmobile and we funded a trauma counseling center for the next two years because we know the impacts on these kids are going to continue into their futures," Mathison said.
On Monday they departed from Logan Airport to head to Poland for what will be their 4th trip to Ukraine. She says the group works tirelessly raising funds here in the U.S. to help supply the needs for the innocent victims of war. So far, they've raised $2.6 million.
Many of the orphanages have little to no electricity and kids living even frigid conditions.
"Ukraine started the war with about 200,000 orphans - now they are feeding close to 1 million orphans and refugee children. Kids put on trains primarily from the eastern part of the country and sent to safety in Western Ukraine. We go there to those orphanages and meet with those kids and make sure they're getting the help we can give them," Mathison said.
The group makes the trip to Ukraine every two months to make sure the donations are going directly to the kids and families. They say it takes them two days to get there. Two of the members are 78 years old.
"For me, just a mom from New England, it seems very scary, but I also look at the Ukrainians and I look at them living with this every day," she said. "This will be one of the things I did in my life that made a difference. It's very moving."