05-21-2023 Harford Magazine - Flipbook - Page 23
“To this day, every time
he hears airplanes flying
overhead or when he hears
a loud noise, he’s afraid.”
—Violetta Radius said
about her son, Mark
offices or resettlement agencies, Ukrainians
seeking to leave their homeland post requests
on the Uniting for Ukraine Facebook page.
Benefactors choose an individual or family
to sponsor and message them directly.
Once an agreement has been reached, both
parties register with the U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services. Sponsors fill out a
form guaranteeing that they have sufficient
financial resources to support the visitors.
Once background checks, vaccinations
and medical screenings have been completed,
the Ukrainians receive a visa and make travel
arrangements.
The pitches on the website are
determinedly upbeat, optimistic — and
heartrending. They attempt to reassure
potential sponsors that the immigrants won’t
be a burden.
“My family and I have been deeply affected
by the ongoing conflict with Russia, and
we’ve been forced to flee our home and seek
safety elsewhere,” reads one post from the
father of two daughters. “We’re hardworking,
motivated and committed to making a
positive contribution to society.”
Another post includes a photo of a woman
embracing her 8-year-old daughter. The
girl wears a fancy red party dress and holds
flowers and half a dozen balloons decorated
with hearts. The mother assures readers that
she has a job in information technology,
works remotely, and can support her little
family by herself. All she needs is a sponsor.
“We very much believe our dream will come
true, and we will find a person who will
respond to our request,” she writes.
Stave, an attorney, and Clark, music
director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society,
were shaken by the Russian invasion and
wanted to help. They live on a 9-acre farm,
Local residents stand next to a damaged residential
building in the town of Serhiivka, located about 31
miles southwest of Odesa, Ukraine, July 1, 2022.
Russian missile attacks on residential areas in a
coastal town near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa
early Friday killed at least 21 people, authorities
reported. AP PHOTO/NINA LYASHONOK
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