The Community Foundation of Macon County, WSOY 1304am/ 103.3Fm and NowDecatur raised funds to support “Hope from the Heartland“, helping the refugees of Ukraine.
A year after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, over 13 million refugees have been displaced. That is a third of the country’s population. The invasion caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II and its aftermath and is the largest refugee crisis of the 21st century. Hope from the Heartland provides life-saving relief straight from our community to those who have lost everything.
The greatest concentration of refugees is in Poland, which has seen some 1.6 million refugees register in Poland, as of January 2023. The 1.6 million refugees in Poland are primarily women and children. This fundraiser is directly providing help to displaced Ukrainians.
Listen to the podcasts from the fundraiser below!
May 2, 2023 – Natalie Beck of the Community Foundation and Wayne Kent join Byers & Co to talk about the importance of giving to “Hope from the Heartland”. You can give my calling 217-429-3000 or by clicking HERE.
May 2, 2023 – Wayne Kent and Liana Havryliuk joined Byers & Co for “Hope from the Heartland”. Wayne talked about the purchases they have made in Poland to help refugees from Ukraine. Ukrainian Liana Havryliuk, who lives in Assumption, talked about her family in Ukraine, including her son who is on the front lines.
May 2, 2023 – Farm/grain global impact CFMC trustee Duane Noland, local farmer Paul Butler and Wayne Kent joined Byers & Co to talk about the agricultural impact of the war in Ukraine.
May 2, 2023 – Wayne Kent, Natalie Beck, and Julie Bilbrey of DMH joined Byers & Co to talk about how the DMH Foundation is helping by donating tourniquets.
May 2, 2023 – Tetyana Laundra, and Ken Laundra joined Byers & Co to talk about Tatyana’s experience growing up in Ukraine, and their perspective on the similarities of Central Illinois to Ukraine.
May 2, 2023 – Lexi Jones, Meridian graduate and former YLIA member, joined Byers & Co to discuss her and her twin sister Lani’s efforts for the past 14 months to help Ukrainian refugees. Lexi and her sister started with a bake sale to raise funds and since have traveled to the region twice to volunteer with the refugees.
May 2, 2023 – Laura Dean of Millikin University and senior student Mia Eshoo talk about their upcoming trip to the Baltic States where they will be bringing basic supplies to Ukrainian refugees and completing art projects with displaced children.
May 2, 2023 – Howard G. Buffett talks about what he has witnessed during his trips to Ukraine, the destruction to farmland in the region, the resiliency of the people, his new book, investments his foundation has made to help Ukraine, and his thoughts on President Zelensky.
