Polish-Coloradans Coordinate Drive To Help Ukrainian Refugees: 'The Least I Can Do'

DENVER (CBS4) - The Colorado Polish community has come together to gather donations to help Ukrainian refugees arriving at the Poland border. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Polish-Coloradans held a donation drive to collect clothing, blankets and shoes for the thousands fleeing their homes.

Karen Kapusta drove down from Blackhawk to donate several boxes of goods. For Kapusta, it's personal.

"I'm part Ukrainian. My grandfather was born there, my grandma was born there, and I actually just visited relatives back in 2019," Kapusta said.

Kapusta was having a hard time parting with some of the items she donated because they belonged to her late mother.

"As I packed them up, I said 'Mom, you're going to Poland and you're going to help the folks from Ukraine,'" she said.

According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of Wednesday, More than 500,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Poland since Feb. 24.

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"When you see this help it's just like natural, like to want to cry because you are happy that someone is helping, but you cry also because this should not be happening… what is happening right now?" said Aga Koralewicz, one of the polish organizers. "We don't know how long the people will stay in Poland or how many will come."

The Colorado Polish community actually coordinated the donation drive with the Polish community in Chicago. Late Wednesday the boxes left the Rocky Mountains to go to Chicago and then off for Poland.

The shipment is expected to arrive in Ukraine in about eight weeks. Kapusta hopes a little piece of her mom can help those Ukrainians starting over in a new country.

"It's the least I can do right now," said Kapusta. "Heck I would go over there and fight if I could."