Donate
To make a donation online, use the Zeffy form below. If you prefer to send a check, make checks payable to Winona Sheltering Network and write “Ukrainian Resettlement Fund” on the memo line. Mail to: Jerry Windley-Daoust, 664 Winona St., Winona, MN 55987. Please include your email so you can receive our email newsletter with updates about the family.
Since successfully resettling in Roseville, Minnesota, Dmytro and his mother have secured jobs and moved into a rental house; meanwhile, Dmytro’s developmentally disabled brother has been receiving crucial medical attention. Read more about Dmytro’s story below.
Because Dmytro and his family were admitted to the United States under the Biden administration’s Uniting for Ukraine humanitarian parole program, Dmytro and his family need to apply for asylum. They have met with a reputable immigration attorney who believes they have a good case. Dmytro may also be able to apply for a special talent visa.
The downpayment for the attorney to begin working on these complex applications is $4,500 about half the total cost. While Dmytro and his mother have enough of an income to support themselves, they don’t have time to save up before beginning the application. Time is of the essence. With your help, we’re hoping Dmytro can make the downpayment before May 1.
Please note: Zeffy “suggests” a tip to help it cover the costs of running its free fundraising platform. You can change or zero out this fee under the “Confirm Your Donation” heading.
Dmytro’s story
Dmytro is a 33-year-old from Kyiv, Ukraine, whose mother, Svitlana, and younger brother, Artem, lived in the nearby city of Vasylkiv…home to an air base and a major target of invading Russian forces at the start of the war.
Artem, 19, is autistic and nonverbal. Prior to the war, he had been receiving state-provided care. With the invasion, that care ended. He and his mother spent the first two months of the war frequently sheltering in their root cellar as urban fighting surged through their neighborhood and Russian missiles, aimed at the airbase, sometimes went off course, landing in nearby residential areas.
Determined to get out, Dmytro began sending cold-call e-mails to various U.S.-based organizations. One of his e-mails went to CatholicWorker.org, the website of the international Catholic Worker Movement. One of our Winona Sheltering Network volunteers, Jerry Windley-Daoust, manages the email for that website.
The letter Jerry received from Dmytro on May 30 was heart-wrenching:
Hello! My name is Dmytro, I am Ukrainian and currently in Ukraine. I am looking for protection for my family of three people from the Russian terror here.
We are two brothers and mother. I am the elder brother and also the head of the family, I am 33 years old. My younger brother is A—-, he is 19 years old. He is a special boy, autistic, and has a disability. I am his guardian. And our mom — S—-, 53 years old.
No matter what, we are a positive family and love life very much.
We live in Vasylkiv nearby to Kyiv and we have been in Ukraine since the war began till today. There is a military base in our town, so we are always in a zone of increased danger to life. In recent days, Russia has been bombing Kyiv particularly hard and we can’t take it anymore.
The situation for our family is complicated by the fact that hospitals for mental health treatment are already full of shell-shocked soldiers and people like my brother have become a non-priority for doctors.
The letter went on to say that the family wished to come to the United States under the U.S. Department of State’s Uniting for Ukraine resettlement program. All they needed was a sponsor.
Jerry spent two months looking for a sponsor. None of the groups or individuals he approached were able to help, though; with so many refugees coming to the United States, many potential sponsors were already maxed out helping others, as was the case for the Winona Sheltering Network, which has provided aid to dozens of Central American and Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.
Given that reality, Jerry offered to sponsor the family himself. A few other volunteers from the Winona Sheltering Network offered to help, and eventually, Jerry assembled a Twin Cities-based support team, too. (The plan was to relocate the family there instead of Winona because it seemed important for Svitlana to be near other Ukrainians, and also because there are more services available there.) Together, these volunteers form the nucleus of the Toporynskyi Welcome Team.
Dozen of donors stepped forward to provide the family with enough financial help to get them started. And Alight, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization, provided invaluable assistance via their Ukrainian sponsor guide program, which connects the sponsors of Ukrainian refugees with services and other sponsors.
With all of this in place, Jerry filed the necessary sponsorship paperwork with the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service’s Uniting for Ukraine program.
Welcome to Minnesota
The family landed in Minnesota on Thursday, Dec. 7, after three days of travel. All they brought with them fit into three backpacks and two large suitcases.
Although the family initially stayed at an Alight-provided AirBnB, within days the Welcome Team volunteers were moving them into a new apartment in Roseville.
That team has been supported by Alight, formerly American Refugee Committee. Alight has provided professional guidance through the whole process and is providing the family with 30 days of AirBnB temporary housing. Winona-based volunteers had collected furnishings and other household items and loaded a truck to deliver everything the Saturday after the family’s arrival.
Another team of volunteers unloaded the truck and made up the apartment.
“Our smiles get wider and wider,” Dmytro said, expressing the family’s gratitude.
The Welcome Team has paid the first six months’ of the family’s rent on a modest two-bedroom apartment in a good location in Roseville. Without any credit or rental history, the up-front payment of six months’ rent (plus a security deposit and various fees) was a requirement for securing the apartment.
A whirlwind
The first few days were a whirlwind: the morning after their arrival, the family went to the Social Security office to apply for social security numbers. Next was a visit to the Ukrainian American Community Center for an orientation class and to connect with a Ukrainian resettlement guide from Lutheran Social Services.
The following week saw even more appointments, including one to apply for MinnesotaCare. The family visited a food bank to pick up groceries, and made trips to some nearby stores, including SuperTarget.
There has been time for fun, though, too. The family has enjoyed visiting the local Ukrainian market, the Mall of America, and the Minnesota Zoo. One of our St. Paul volunteers hosted the family for Christmas.
Dmytro’s girlfriend, also a Ukrainian war refugee who has been living in New York City since this past spring, flew out to join the family for the holidays.
What’s Next?
Since those early days, Dmytro and his family have successfully transitioned to life in Minnesota. Dmytro secured a good job coordinating housing for the Minnesota International Institute. Svitlana secured work as a Personal Care Attendant for her son Artem. Dmytro obtained a driver’s license and a car, which he has used to help other Ukrainian refugees in the area. Artem attended school briefly before being hospitalized for a month; he has since recovered and is receiving the specialized medical care he needs.
Now, though, the Trump administration has vowed to end humanitarian parole in all its forms. Before that takes place, Dmytro and his family need to file for asylum and/or appropriate work visas.
Downpayment for Attorney Fees
That’s why we’re reaching out to our generous donors again. With your help, we hope to raise the bulk of the downpayment to get the application process going. Dmytro will pay the remainder of the fee on a payment plan.
If you can help, please do. Your donation is tax-deductible. And if you provide us with your e-mail address, we’ll add you to our list of people receiving regular updates about the family’s progress.
Whether you donate or not, thanks for your interest and support!
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? Contact Jerry directly at windleydaoust@gmail.com.