Photo by Jeff Tome Warren’s help for Ukrainian Refugees was highlighted at a program by Poland’s Kocham Debniki Foundation at the Woman’s Club on July 1. Pictured, from left to right, are OlgaPiasecka-Niec, executive director, Cindy Nelson, of the Ukrainian Relief Organization, and Lena Mykhailova.

It is hard to imagine that residents of a small town in Western Pennsylvania could make a huge difference in the lives of refugees half a world away, but the Warren community has turned out to be essential to the lives of Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, Poland.

Close to 90 people gathered at the Woman’s Club of Warren on Tuesday, July 1, to hear how the Kocham Debniki Foundation in Krakow, Poland, has been helping refugees from the war in Ukraine.

Olga Piasecka-Niec, executive director, and Lena Mykhailova, outreach ambassador, presented an hour-long program at the Woman’s Club in Warren about the foundation’s work with refugees. Perhaps nothing says more about how much those programs are needed or the positive effect they have on the lives of people than the fact that Piasecka-Niec had to pause regularly in tears as she explained the positive impact her foundation has, and how much the aid from the Warren community has helped.

The origin story of the Kocham Debniki Foundation, while only a few years old, already had the feel of a legend as they shared it. Mykhailova, newly fled from the Russian invasion in Ukraine, was standing in a corner of a train station in Krakow, with no money, no food and few belongings.

She fled with her family to the border, but her husband was taken to fight in the army when they crossed the border. Piasecka-Niec’s husband approached them and asked if he could help, but Mykhailova replied “No thank you.”

She had plans to move on to another city and attempt to get a factory job in a manufacturing town. He returned later that day to tell her he had booked 10 days at a hotel for her and her family. Lena described the idea of a hot shower and being clean as if it was one of the most amazing luxuries in the world.

Soon after, while talking to Piasecka-Niec, they heard of a group of Americans wandering the streets of Krakow and looking to help. One of those Americans was Matt McKissock, cofounder of a group of companies that includes McKissock Learning. With the help of McKissock and many others, the Kocham Debniki Foundation was born.

As Mykhailova told it, “They looked at me, not as a refugee, but as a person, a woman, as human.” They helped her get food, shelter and fill basic needs.

Great work comes from great need, and the need in Krakow was huge. Piasecka-Niec put her life and career on hold to place herself in the path of the crisis and be with the women and families seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine, to help them rebuild their shattered lives as they resettled in Krakow, Poland. She believes that the ability to turn the crisis into power depends on a supportive environment.

The foundation grew to run the Swietlaka Community Center. There, people can obtain food, clothing and basic hygiene products. They coordinate language classes to teach refugees Polish. There are cooking classes, crafts, a community garden and workshops.

The audience at the Woman’s Club was asked to stand if they had contributed to Kocham Debniki. More than three-quarters of the audience rose to their feet.

“Through your community, your support, and your kind hearts, it became possible” to help people, Mykhailova said.

New people come to the community center there every day. Some people are newly arrived refugees. Others come because other groups that help Ukrainian refugees in Krakow are closing and people have nowhere else to turn. One of the things keeping Kocham Debniki open is the support of the Warren community.

Some refugees attempt to return home to Ukraine. They return to start over again in Krakow when they discover their homes are destroyed, or the fear becomes unbearable. Lena has family in Poltava, in central Ukraine. The whir of drones there sent people fleeing into the forest at night, since there are no bomb shelters in the city where people can escape.

“There are generations of people who have lost everything. Grandparents, parents and children who now have nothing. It is the torture of a nation, with drones and bombs and waking up several times every night.” Mykhailova said.

Kocham Debniki has a goal that is bigger than giving sustenance and shelter to those who need it. They work to create a community for the more than 1,398 families, over 7,500 people, who use their services, to “reconstruct the social fabric” and help people heal from unspeakable trauma.

They start with healing, providing basic necessities and support, helping with language barriers. They help people thrive, volunteering and becoming actively engaged in the community. Their end goal is to help people pay it forward, to become independent, to be entrepreneurs and to help others.

One refugee, Dila, said “You watered me like a withered flower and I bloomed.” Another, Valia, started another community center in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Their work is to provide more than material support, but to help their community rediscover their humanity, their dignity and their dreams, to move from victimhood to resilience.

They have some big name support from groups like Pearl Jam, but there is a decidedly local flavor to their support, including WARRN, the Sokolski Family Foundation, the Hispanic Community Council from Jamestown, and more.

Local college student Will Sokolski interned there for a semester abroad. Allegheny Outfitters Piper VanOrd and her family have gone over to Poland and helped several times, as had several of the people in the audience.

“Somehow, a small group of humans has wrapped these people in a warm hug,” said VanOrd. You can support this effort by going to kochamdebniki.pl, by contacting Andy Sokolski at the Sokolski Family Foundation, or contacting Piper VanOrd at Allegheny Outfitters.