*UPDATE, we raised $10,000!!!! In 24 hours***We just restocked these bracelets and we are hoping to raise $1,000more dollars to supply internet to the Ukrainian Refugees who are now in Prague. Through Serge, many of them have found housing and they are able to stay there for the next year. Unfortunately, several of the housing units and apartments do not have internet. If we sell 50 more bracelets, these men & women will be able to have internet for the next year. This will help them to look for employment, communicate with friends and family, and stay updated on current events.Ā
I, as Iām sure so many of you, had been trying to think of different ways to help refugees from Ukraine and what organization would be best to link up with. A little over a week ago, I received an email from Shanna, a customer of mine who Iāve known for a long time who moved to Prague. She moved there with her family 17 years ago and her husband is the minister at the church that they started together,Ā Faith Community Church.
She actually reached out to me looking for a custom bracelet stack. I responded to learn a little bit more about her story and what is going on right now in Prague. Her family is currently hosting a grandmother, a mother, a 4.5-year-old and 1.5 year old, while the father is still fighting in Ukraine. When the bombs started to go off, they hid in the metro for four days. When it was safe, they came to Prague since they had friends there. Shanna and her family are not only hosting this family but working so hard with different refugeesā¦ as more than 50,000 refugees have arrived in Prague since the beginning of the conflict.
Several of the Faith Community church members own hotels and have opened their doors to all the refugees giving them food, shelter, beds for the night and anything else they need. This is where we come in!! I'm so happy that we have a direct link to send the money straight to these refugees and the efforts of Faith Community Church.
That morning, IĀ decided that 100% of the proceeds from theĀ Ukraine Refugee BraceletĀ that we created would go straight to Shanna and Faith Community Church. These funds will help with any supplies that they need for any of the refugees.
100% of the proceeds will go to Serge.Ā Ā
100% of proceeds from this bracelet will go to keep beds open for the refugees:
This was the email to me from Shanna:
As you can imagine it is all very heartbreaking.Ā
We moved to Prague from Charlotte 17 years ago to start an international church called Faith Community. There are so many amazing things happening here. From everyone opening up their homes to house Ukrainians for short or long term, to donations of food, clothing, strollers.Ā
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My husband is the pastor of our church, and some of our church members own hotels here in Prague. They have opened the doors to anyone that needs a bed. (Durning Covid, they opened the doors to homeless here)One of the efforts that we are working on is helping to underwrite the cost of a bed. It cost $22 dollars for a bed a night to keep the lights on and the sheets clean.Ā Serge is the organization we work for.Ā
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A local SRO offers clothing, long shelf-life food items and next steps to help people get into flats here. Our church brings over hot meals twice a week, and cookies and fruit most days.
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Currently we are housing a family. Grandma, mom, 4.5 year old girl and 1.5 year old boy. Dad is back in Ukraine. When bombs went off in their city they hid in a metro for 4 nights, then when it was safe enough, they took for trains to get to Prague where they have some relatives. We don't know how long they will be with us but we are happy for them to stay. They are delightful despite the circumstances. Their story isn't unique we have over 50,000 refugees that have arrived in the last few days. Mostly moms and children since all the men must stay and fight.