Family to Family Project
For those looking for a way to help Ukrainian families, the Family to Family program may be a perfect fit for your family.
The Family to Family Program matches a family from the USA with a family from Ukraine. The match is a customized match taking care to consider the wants and needs of the refugee family with what the US family would like to give.
Please read the frequently asked questions to further your understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the financial commitment for Family to Family?
Whatever the US family can afford. A sufficient monthly donation would be $300 which would go toward rent. A family can also make a one time offer of any amount which would go toward food or other needs.
How will these families receive my donations through Family to Family? What about after Bonnie's return home?
The refugee family will receive money directly through the US family’s preferred means of transferring money, i.e. Facebook, wise.com, Venmo, Western Union, etc. or the transfer can be mediated by DELIVER. The transfer will either be direct from Family to Family or through DELIVER. We can manage this transfer even if we’re not there.
Are conditions better or worse than you expected when you arrived?
The conditions are about what I expected from having watched the news. What is amazing is to witness the generosity of the Polish people and the genuine gratitude of the Ukrainian people.
If I sign up for Family to Family, how long do I do it for?
The time commitment will be the US family’s choice. The US family can stop anytime but will need to communicate this with DELIVER or with the refugee family directly.
How much contact will I have with the family? Can my family get to know them or is it just a recurring donation?
The hope of Family to Family is that a supportive, friendly connection will be established through video conferencing, phone calls, etc. There are several ways to communicate with no cost through Messenger, Telegram, Viber, etc. Viber offers a translation service. Google translate is also a feasible way to communicate even though it is somewhat taxing. A supportive, friendly connection can mean more to a refugee family than money, although some are in desperate need of monetary resources as well.
How are families matched?
The matching will not be random. After meeting with the refugee family and learning of their needs and wants, a DELIVER team member will communicate those wants and needs to a specific US family and would ask the US family what would be the right amount to offer and whether they would like to connect with the family directly.
Who will take over once you (Brett & Bonnie) leave?
While there, we will train refugees who speak English and are trustworthy to carry on this service and will be one of the individuals/families who have already been matched.
What is the underlying purpose of the family to family program?
The purpose of the Family to Family program is to provide refugee families with long term living accommodations so that they do not need to live in a refugee camp in a tent and to build supportive relationships of trust between families.
How do we know that we’re not being taken advantage of or being scammed?
The family’s desire to be self-reliant will be part of the assessment process. The family’s or individual’s efforts to find other ways to provide for themselves through meaningful work opportunities will be an indication of their desire to be self reliant.
What else do we know about these families?
Many of these families will be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because we are partnering with a unit of this congregation in Krakow, Poland. From that initial starting point, participants will come from other groups as well.