One day in February, twelve-year-old Renata, an aspiring ballerina, came home from her dance class in Kyiv and told her mom, Ilona, that her upcoming recital would not be taking place. Neither knew then why the program was cancelled until bombs began falling at 5 a.m. the next morning.

 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine escalated quickly, and soon it became too dangerous for Renata and her younger sister, Erika, to attend school. Igor, the girls’ father, left for the front, and Ilona and her daughters remained behind, worried sick about his safety and their own.

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Now that the attacks on Kyiv have escalated, Ilona has made the heart-wrenching decision to leave her husband and homeland behind in order to bring her daughters to safety in Redding. She needs your help! R2SC is now raising funds to bring Ilona, Renata and Erika to their new home and help them secure housing, basic necessities, employment opportunities, education, medical and legal assistance, and more. Please consider making a donation today to help them travel to the US so they may live in safety.