Helping a Neighbor

On November 19 of 2022, members of KHFSS met at a local supermarket Fresh World to volunteer and raise funds to donate to a Family of Ukrainian refugees. There, members helped staff restock shelves, bag items, and return items to where they belong. A few weeks later, we were able to meet and donate to the family in person. Although this was just a onetime event, we hope the family will receive the support they need and wish them the best.

The experience I had working at Fresh World was definitely a unique one. It was my first time in that sort of work environment, and I was very anxious. The food there was great, and the staff was also helpful. I think it was a useful experience, so I know what to expect for when I get my first job later on. Overall, the experience was interesting, and it was even better knowing that it was for a good cause.

- Daniel Kim

About a year ago, I heard about the rising war between Ukraine and Russia, and I saw a lot of news media discussing the adversities Ukrainian refugees have had to go through. However, as a person who has been living in a country remote from Ukraine, I did not fully understand the suffering the refugees were experiencing. Hence, I did not consider the event significantly and focused on things that seemed to be relatable to me. A few months later, I worked at a supermarket called Fresh World to gather money for fundraising like last year. However, this time, I heard that our organization was specifically providing financial support to a Ukrainian refugee family. While I was working, I perceived the same feeling as last year, but when I actually visited the family’s house, I started to consider the war more seriously. Natasha, who came to the U.S. with her two sons and one daughter, recalled and told us about the process to escape Ukraine as a refugee. My sense of compassion peaked when she described the city her family used to live in was bombed merely after 30 minutes they left. Moreover, she told us that her husband was still in Ukraine, fighting for the country. After hearing all these stories, I wondered what Natasha and her kids might have felt every day. This volunteering event induced me to contemplate more about the Ukraine-Russia war and realize what a war truly looks like. If I did not participate in this event, I would probably still be careless about the crisis happening on the other side of the Earth.

- Hanseon Lee

Getting to talk to Natasha was a very wonderful and eye opening experience for me. I had the honor of asking her questions about her experiences and getting to talk to her about her emotions, her struggles, and the tremendous amount of support that she gained while coming to America. We talked about many things such as how she was adjusting to life in America, how the food was in America, and how her husband was doing. One thing that touched me in particular was when she talked about her experiences during the start of the Russia-Ukraine War and how her house was very close to where the Russian's initially started to attack. She is a very upbeat and kind person and even offered us Ukrainian crepes and tea which were very delicious. Myself and many of the KHASS members had worked in a grocery store called Fresh World to raise money to donate to Natasha. While working at Fresh World was a very difficult and new experience for many of us, knowing that our efforts went to Natasha made it all worth it and I am glad that we were able to support her in any way we could. I hope to see Natasha again in the near future and I wish both her and her family the very best.

- Ihan Do