The Polish government, other organizations, and other countries have provided incredible amounts of free transportation options, but often those are along main routes to major cities or to another country that has offered to take a certain number of people to house in a communal place. It’s a bit harder for one family to get to one specific location--to a relative or friend in Poland. There is a growing need for “last mile” transportation options for people who have been offered a place to stay but don’t have the means to get there. Many women and children don’t arrive with a car. They are frequently dropped off at the border by a male relative that needs to stay in Ukraine (and needs the vehicle most).
Our first day on the ground we drove 19-year-old Dasha (who fled from Kharkiv) to a contact in a rural town. Her parents couldn’t leave Kharkiv (her mom is sick and her dad wouldn’t be allowed) but they were able to send her to Poland where she will likely be able to secure a visa to England where her aunt lives.
Our team did shuttle trips for volunteers at the center to pick up 2 carloads of radios and walkie talkies and dropped them at the border to be used in the Ukrainian resistance efforts.
We drove Anna to a work colleague that lives in Łódź where she will stay until it’s safe to return to Kyiv. Her husband had to stay in Kyiv. She finally decided to leave after a location 10 km from her home was shelled.