Ukrainian families coming to Dixon, community group raising funds

DIXON - Two Ukrainian families will soon be finding refuge in Dixon, and a group of community members is looking to raise $21,000 to help with expenses.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February, upending the lives of countless individuals in the wake of continued military attacks.

The United States is welcoming 100,000 displaced Ukrainian refugees through the Uniting for Ukraine Project and Welcome.US, allowing refugees to be paired with sponsors and live within the country for two years.

One of those sponsors is Lee County Judge Doug Lee, who wanted to help the victims of the conflict.

He became a sponsor after hearing a presentation by Dawn Summers and her family at a Dixon Rotary Club meeting. Summers spoke about successful efforts to bring a mother and child from Ukraine to Dixon.

“Dawn’s presentation inspired me to look at the program again, and when I did I learned the program had matured to the point that it would match Ukrainians with sponsors in the U.S.,” Lee said. “The more I read about the Uniting for Ukraine project, the more convinced I was that we could help people seeking safety and security in the U.S.”

Lee partnered with community members Dave Schreiner, Rick Curia, Nancy Varga, Andrea Cook, Mary Oros, Amber Schmidt and Margo Empen. They will help with finances and employment, housing and basic needs, benefits and heathcare, welcoming and orientation, and education and language.

The group created a Facebook page for information and to collect donations called Welcoming Ukrainians to Dixon.

Two families expressed interest in coming to Dixon, and the first is slated to arrive Nov. 22.

“The first is a young couple, Oleh and Victoria, who are enduring daily Russian attacks on their city and power grid,” according to the group. “The second is a family of five, with parents Oleh and Oksana, a seven-year-old daughter, and three-year-old twin boys. Even if temporary, they desperately seek the freedoms, opportunities, and promises of life in Dixon.”

The group has expanded with many volunteers looking to help out, and there’s a fundraising goal of $21,000.

The funds will be used to support the families’ start-up and living expenses during the transition, with most of the funds going toward housing-related and transportation costs.