GARCZYN, Poland–Beginning next week, CUToday.info will be publishing a series of Special Reports from Poland and–if the very difficult conditions on the ground do not change–Ukraine on the valiant efforts in both countries by credit unions to provide relief, assistance—and resistance—to the war and attacks by Russia.
Much of the assistance being provided has been underwritten thanks to support by credit unions, associations, CUSOs and others in the United States, and CUToday.info will be seeking to highlight how the funds are being deployed in very human terms.
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The Special Reports are being made possible thanks to the support of a number of credit unions and solutions providers to credit unions.
CUToday.info’s Frank J. Diekmann will be traveling with Dr. Brian Branch, the former president/CEO of the World Council of Credit Unions, for an update primarily on the support being provided by the Via Stella Foundation, a Polish-American initiative that has provided funds to Poland’s credit unions as they have gone to extraordinary lengths to assist the millions of refugees who have been driven from their homes and crossed the border.
The Via Stella Foundation is being led by Rafal Matusiak, the president of Poland’s national trade association, the National Association of Credit and Savings Unions (NACSCU), who helped to create the foundation along with Branch and Susan Mitchell of Mitchell Stankovic Associates.
Responding to Calls for Help
In a letter sent this week to credit unions by Matusiak he shared that the conflict in Ukraine has escalated and ”civilians in Ukraine have again been driven from their homes and injured. Via Stella is responding to new calls for emergency medical equipment and ambulances for those affected by the fighting.
An ambulance and medical supplies purchased by foundation and CUs for use in Ukraine.
”Medical personnel in Ukraine are hard pressed to provide care to those from the battlefield and those from the missile attacks,” Matusiak continued. ”Medical personnel of varied expertise are required to respond to traumatic injuries and wounds daily.”
Matusiak shared that many people have sought help from the Valky Central District Hospital outside Kharkiv, Ukraine.
”The conflict has displaced many women from their homes and they shelter in the Valky area,” Matusiak stated. ”The regional hospital has a large number of displaced women, some traumatized, in need of services. Yet they cannot go for health care to the larger hospital in Kharkiv because of the danger of daily missile attacks on Kharkiv and because of battlefield injuries which overwhelm the hospital in Kharkiv.”
‘You Made a Difference’
Support from the Via Stella Foundation, he said, has helped to provide the Valky hospital with medical equipment to establish a gynecology surgery department to care for these dislpaced women. “You should know that you helped make a difference for these women and their children,” wrote Matusiak.
”They have a better chance for a healthy life now because of you.”
What Will be Taking Place
The current schedule of events for the week of July 10 calls for:
- Meetings with the team behind the Via Stella Foundation
- Meeting with two Ukrainian families who have been displaced and who are being assisted by credit unions in Poland
- Tentatively meeting with Ukraine’s consul in Poland
- Meeting with those operating an orphange for Ukrainian children in Garczyn that is receiving CU and foundation support
- Meeting with doctors at a Gdansk women’s health clinic that is serving refugee women
- Travel to the city of Bytom in Southern Poland to meet with a credit union and two refugee families receiving CU support
- Traveling across the border into Ukraine to the city of Lviv to deliver two ambulances and medical supplies purchased by credit unions and the foundation. The ambulances will be turned over to the Ukrainians who will then drive them further east toward the areas under attack
- Returning to Lublin, Poland to participate in a video conference with U.S. credit unions being hosted by Mitchell Stankovic that will offer an update.
All will be updated daily in the Special Report newsletter from CUToday.info.
Backpacks purchased by foundation/CUs for Ukrainian children who are refugees in Poland.
Making It All Possible
The Special Report from Poland and Ukraine is being made possible by the generous support of AKUVO, Sievewright & Associates, Mitchell Stankovic Associates, Origence, Your Marketing Co., Polish & Slavic FCU, Unitus Community Credit Union and Eagle Community CU. Those interested in placing an ad/helping to support the week-long newsletter series can contact Frank J. Diekmann at Frank@CUToday.info. Any funds beyond those needed to cover expenses will be donated to the foundation.
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