CONNECTICUT, USA — There are many individuals and organizations statewide that are aiding the relief efforts for war-torn Ukraine, including a former Miss Connecticut, who was born and lived in Ukraine as a child. She is currently in Poland along the Ukraine border.
Olga Litvinenko, of Greenwich, said her blood still runs through Ukraine. And, having safely gotten her mother out of the war-torn country just a week before the bombing began, her mission now is helping others find refuge. That includes a great-aunt she recently spoke with by phone.
"You know it's getting worse, and I'm scared and for the first time she really started tearing up and crying and I had a conversation with her about leaving Ukraine and she said I'm ready for that," Litvinenko said.
So, she helped coordinate her 74-year-old family member's departure to Poland, where she met up with a group transporting refugees to France, where Olga met her this week.
"France has been extremely hospitable with incoming refugees in the sense of people, who register as refugees and they get some monetary aid," said Litvinenko. "There are different volunteers here that are giving people furnished homes."
And now that her great-aunt, Sveta, is settled, the Greenwich businesswoman moved on to Poland, where she is working with the organization that assisted her. The group provides food, clothing and transportation to France.
Because it is expected to be a lengthy relief effort, Litvinenko and other Greenwich residents have created a GoFundMe to assist these efforts.
"And as we continue with our efforts we look forward to partnering with larger organizations that are also on the ground and people that already have established means of purchasing things," Litvinenko said.
She said the women and children are the ones most afraid to leave the Poland-Ukraine border.
"A lot a lot of the women, who we were taking on the bus, they were nervous that they were being human trafficked," said Litvinenko. "And the fact that there are people who are coming and taking these women and children or women young women to put them in an even worse situation is heartbreaking for me."
She said her experience as the 2017 Miss Connecticut USA, which built her confidence, will aid her in this journey to instill confidence in many broken women fleeing Ukraine.
"A lot of these women have been really devastated and sad and lack motivation so being able to look them in the eye and tell them 'you are beautiful, you're resilient, you will be back to your country is important," she said.
RELATED: Connecticut Congressional leaders react to Ukraine President Zelenskyy's appeal to Congress
Litvinenko is also assisting a Ukrainian animal shelter that has roughly 3,000 animals, two of which her mom brought to Connecticut from Ukraine approximately one week before the bombing started.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
----
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.