Central Catholic grad visit to Poland brings hope, voice to Ukrainian refugees
The Independent
Like many Americans, Justin Alan Hayes watched as Russia began its deadly assault on Ukraine and its people.
His thoughts turned to those fleeing their homes, leaving family behind and wondering if they would ever return to their homeland.
Hayes, an adjunct professor of marketing at Walsh University, wanted to help. As founder of the nonprofit Voices for Voices, a group that aims to make mental health a priority, Hayes knew he could.
"With the unfortunate situation, I looked for ways our organization could help," said Hayes, a 2000 Central Catholic grad. "A lot of organizations are helping but I wanted to see where it was going and get it right to the people."
During a trip overseas in June, Hayes made his way to Poland, where many Ukrainian refugees are finding solace.
'You feel better when you can wash your face with soap and comb your hair.'
Prior to his trip, Hayes gathered donations of 192 hygiene kits that included combs, soap, sanitizer, toothpaste and brushes; children's books in both English and Ukraine; and additional toiletries as well as candy.
"You feel better when you can wash your face with soap and comb your hair and you have a book to take your mind off things for a little while," Hayes said.
He shipped the 41 pounds of items via UPS to his hotel in Warsaw ahead of his arrival in the capital city.
Hayes paid for his trip, shipping and supplies. He received some donations of supplies.
Before his trip, Hayes spent time connecting with administrators of an expo center near Warsaw, where about 2,500 Ukrainian refugees were taking shelter.
Arrangements were made for a van to transport the donations to the expo center. The van canceled the night before Hayes' visit to the refugee camp.
Luckily, a tour guide that took Hayes on a trip to World War II concentration camps the day before offered to drive him and the donations.
"It ended up working out," he said. "There was a language barrier and the workers at the entrance to the expo center didn't speak any English. Even though I connected with them ahead of time, we almost didn't get through the gate, but she was able to communicate with them."
Finally inside the expo center, which houses about 2,500 people, Hayes found cots lined up side by side. There were no windows leaving you with no concept of time, he said. Refugees used powerstrips to charge their cellphones.
There was a bathroom with showers, a cafeteria and a medical area.
'The Ukrainian people are still regular people.'
The few people Hayes spoke with said they want to return to their homeland while others said they were seeking a new home in other European countries.
One boy told him that he and his mother fled while his father remained behind.
He heard stories of Ukrainians fleeing and later returning home to realize it wasn't safe. They then fled again.
Some had been there since the war broke out in February, others had just made the four-hour trip from the Ukrainian border to their temporary home.
"The Ukrainian people are still regular people," he said. "I expected that they were going to look all raggedy coming from a war zone."
Most of those fleeing Ukraine left with what they could carry.
They rely on others for everything else from food to bedding, he said.
Besides the donations, Hayes also offered to help pay for medical supplies, but they did not accept cash donations.
During his visit, he met a landlord who had opened his rental home for Ukrainian mothers and their children for free. The unplanned trip to the home allowed him to help refugees.
Upon arriving at the rental property, he found children as young as 5 months old taking shelter with their mothers.
One of the young girls at the house was celebrating a birthday. Hayes gave her a sticker book.
Hayes took one of the mothers to the grocery store and filled a few carts with food and other items they needed, including the ingredients to make a cake to celebrate.
"This had more of that impact I was really looking for," Hayes said. "I got to see things I got and give them to the people."
Back at the house, the birthday girl showed Hayes a beautiful ballerina inside the book. She had dressed the dancer with the stickers in the book.
"She said, 'Look, I put clothes on her that are the color of the Ukrainian flag.' It's the little stuff like that. I can't make that coincidence up," Hayes said.
He said the generosity of the Polish people was astounding. He believes many of them remember their country being occupied and don't ever want to see that again.
James Warnken, chief operating officer of Voices for Voices and Hayes' former student, wasn't surprised when he heard about Hayes' plan.
"I thought it was awesome," he said. "Justin is always the type of person that goes one step further than most people would go."
With Voices for Voices focused on mental health and development, Warnken said the aid rendered by the organization and Hayes is exactly what they aim to do.
Hayes has no affiliation to the Ukraine, he was just drawn to help.
"I want to give people the opportunity to be heard," Hayes said. "I felt by doing this I was giving a level of hope. It wasn't a million dollars but I
felt through what I did I was able to give the Ukrainian people a voice. They could be one day closer to hopefully something that is better.
"I was able to do everything I wanted to do."