Thanks to the Choose Love grant, which arrived at the most important moment, we were able to take quick action to meet the most urgent needs of refugees. Time was of the essence, because the whole situation was developing and changing very quickly. Refugees were arriving en masse in an unprepared country, we had to find accommodation, transport and basic supplies very quickly, the grant made it possible. For the first few weeks, we distributed food at train stations, supporting newly arrived refugees and providing accommodation to those who could not fit in the reception centres or could not use them, such as third-country nationals who were not covered by the aid regulations issued by the government. We distributed material aid in the form of food, medicine, clothing, hygiene products to shelters converted into reception centres in Warsaw and Toruń and to individuals. In this area, we also supported two specific facilities: the “Ostoja Roztocze” centre for defenceless women with children (victims of violence and abuse) in Warsaw and the centre from Szczebrzeszyn (southeastern part of Poland, near the border with Ukraine), which has been hosting an evacuated orphanage from Lutsk since early March – 40 mentally and physically disabled children.
Our social activists conducted workshops and integration events for residents of hostels/reception points in Warsaw (300 people) and Toruń (40 people). Some of these events took place outside Toruń – at an agritourism farm with zootherapy, which was particularly beneficial for children and their mothers. As part of the project, we distributed 2,500 food portions, 500 people benefited from the supply of hygiene products, 200 – from medicines, 200 – from transport from the border to the places of accommodation, 540 people benefited from the accommodation subsidy.