Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser Helping Those Fleeing Ukraine

UPDATED: April 8, 2022

YARMOUTH – As the crisis in Ukraine continues, Habitat for Humanity officials outlined some of the ways they are providing assistance for those fleeing the violence and how local donations are making a difference. 

Habitat Cape Cod’s CEO Wendy Cullinan said on Friday and Saturday all proceeds from sales at their two local ReStore locations in South Yarmouth and Falmouth will be sent to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict as Russia’s invasion of the country continues.

The funds will benefit the humanitarian services that Habitat is already providing in the region, including getting refugees vouchers for free stays at hotels as well as transport to and from hotels in nations that border Ukraine—Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. 

“We mobilized fairly quickly to be present at the border and present at the train stations as people come into the capital cities, and look to help people to have immediate accommodation as soon as people cross the border.” said International’s Vice President for Europe and the Middle East Rick Hathaway. 

Through hotel partners, Habitat is securing rooms for up to 15 nights. They are also focusing on getting matching available units in the bigger neighboring cities to provide shelter for refugees for up to six months.

Hathaway said that Habitat’s staff, volunteers and partners are also building new housing as quickly as possible, including repurposing old government buildings and properties that are no longer in use. 

“We have added staff. We’re raising money in Europe, the U.S. and Asia, so we’re now beginning to look long-term as to what role we can play to help create more housing, especially in Poland where the majority of the refugees are ending up settling right now,” said Hathaway. 

Out of the roughly four million refugees that have escaped Ukraine, over 2.5 million are currently in Poland, said Hathaway. Warsaw alone has seen a 20 percent increase in population since the start of the conflict. 

Local families and developers have space available, but the housing stock will need a big boost to keep up with demand, said Hathaway. 

“We will probably build and renovate some, but we also play a key role as a shelter provider to provide governments with the expertise to refurbish old buildings, look at their land use, and really just work with the government to create more housing stock. It’s a big problem, and one organization can’t do that.”

Habitat for Humanity Cape Cod’s webpage on the fundraiser can be found here.

About Grady Culhane

Grady Culhane is a Cape Cod native from Eastham. He studied media communications at Cape Cod Community College and joined the CapeCod.com News Center in 2019.



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