Ukrainians in US send donations to homeland
In New York, far from her home in northern Ukraine, Valeriya Roshkovan tries to do what she can to end Russia's invasion of her country. “I cannot sit and do nothing," she said earlier this month in a New Jersey warehouse where she volunteers with the nonprofit Razom for Ukraine, helping package donated firefighting equipment to ship to her country. Roshkovan, 41, fled Konotop, her city close to Ukraine's northern border with Belarus, soon after the fighting began in order to keep her teenage daughter safe. She had to leave her husband and other family behind. “The town was surrounded, all the artillery was pointed at the town and most of the exits were already in the hands of Russia,” Roshkovan said through another volunteer who translated her words. “We had the hope that it’s going to finish very soon, that the war will be over,” she added. “And that we will be able to come back quickly.” As the first anniversary of Russia's invasion approaches, that hope is diminished. Roshkovan has enrolled her teenage daughter in school. She's trying to get her to engage with where they are now and stop dwelling on the war and their long escape, driving through Ukraine and several neighboring countries.
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Since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, U.S. companies, nonprofits and individuals have responded with donations, including of equipment like bulletproof vests and drones. Those items might not usually be considered military equipment but sometimes they end up in the hands of people fighting.
