A local resident is stepping up to help the people of Ukraine, where her own family is searching for safety, as they face attacks from Russia.
Syracuse's Ukrainian National Home has been busy gathering medical supplies to ship back to the eastern European nation as its citizens flee the invasion of Vladimir Putin's army. Larissa Dannenberg, a volunteer coordinator for the Ukrainian organization, said the group is receiving huge waves of donations from the local community.
"It’s really wonderful because we’re able to get it into the hands of the people who need it," Dannenberg said.
Dannenberg said the cultural center is even receiving financial contributions, including many from workplaces where employees pooled their money together.
"People continued to walk in the door and drop off not just bags of items but, cash donations.”
At the same time, Dannenberg is concerned for her fellow Ukrainians here in Central New York and back in her home country. Her cousin, who lives in Ukraine, has been on the move seeking shelter with a teenager and younger child.
"A couple of weeks ago she sent me a video and said, ‘this is my apartment building,’ and it was bombed out. She lives on the 8th floor — floors one through five, all the windows were shattered, exploded because a bomb had hit the building," Dannenberg said.
The Ukrainian National Home is still collecting donations and is in need of bandages of any size, gauze pads and topical antibiotics. Community members can drop off supplies at 1317 W. Fayette St. in Syracuse until at least 7 p.m. Friday and beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Items will be sorted, packaged and shipped to Ukraine as soon as possible.