Oksana and her 14 year old daughter, Anastasiia, made a painful decision to flee their homeland of Ukraine and leave their family to come to the U.S. to escape the constant bombings, terror, and power outages in the dead of winter. They were in Kyiv where most of the energy infrastructure has been destroyed and they were struggling to live without electricity, water, and gas in below zero temperatures. They are forced to leave a loving family, friends, and cozy home and to come to the unknown in search of a peaceful life. Oksana left behind a gratifying career as an attorney representing children and mentally ill people in need of guardianship.

It is unimaginable what they’ve been going through this past year hiding in bomb-shelters, living through constant air sirens, and wondering whether the next rocket is going to fall on their house. They initially decided to stay in Ukraine for as long as they did in hopes that peace would be quickly restored, but they became desperate to escape. Without a doubt, the mental, physical, and emotional toll of this experience will have long-lasting effects on them.

Oksana and Anastasiia have found refuge in Long Beach, CA with the help of an old friend from Law School and a HIAS Welcome Circle of volunteers. They are both working hard on their English skills. They are in need of financial support to pay rent for an apartment, buy food, and any daily necessities until Oksana is able to start working and providing. Thankfully, as a community, we can provide them with initial support to be able to have time to assimilate and learn English. Any donation is greatly appreciated.

JFCS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Tax ID #95-2273033