Naples’ New Neighbors in Need: Ukrainian Refugees
Within hours of Russian attacks on Ukraine, the Collier Resource Center team began to brainstorm how we could help the millions of people who were fleeing for their lives and the millions who stayed and risked theirs.
Sunflower quilt, made with love by the Bonita Quilters
The sunflower did not begin as a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance against Russian forces. It is the national flower and has long represented optimism, happiness, and peace. Its bright yellow hue stands in stark contrast to the black smoke rising from the ruins. The sunflower has is now, also, the symbol of the country’s resistance.
Within weeks, a Ukrainian family had found their way to Collier County: one grandmother, one mother, two daughters, one suitcase. They had sheltered in a Ukrainian monastery for two weeks before arriving in Bulgaria. They waited another month before they could be transported to Florida to join a family member living in Naples.
When they reunited, their tears were bittersweet. The grandmother speaks no English; she left behind a lifetime of treasures and friends. The look of worry still lives on the faces of the two young sisters, who were separated from their beloved dog. The girls’ mother does not know when she will see her husband again, who remains in Ukraine to fight.
A Collier Resource Center (CRC) board member learned about the family’s arrival and referred them to the non-profit organization that fills in gaps where there are unmet needs. CRC connected with Beverly’s Angels, another local non-profit, as well as donors to quickly locate furniture, clothing, toys, games, cooking supplies, linens, towels, and many gift cards for the family.
“Receiving help under duress can be very humbling when you realize you’re suddenly the one in need,” said Kari Lefort, CEO of Collier Resource Center. “But this family is truly grateful. And we are honored to be part of their journey.”One person donated an envelope with cash to offset the $3,000 paid for airplane tickets.
Living up to their name, the Bonita Quilters offered lovely hand-stitched quilts, one for each family member. One quilt, by pure coincidence, was covered in bright yellow sunflowers.
After that first delivery, the quilters gave CRC 60 more quilts and tote bags for children and their families, still under siege in Ukraine. But who would deliver them? Ever the connector, CRC found 76-year-old Naples resident Jack Nortman, son of a Holocaust survivor in Germany, who is collecting medical and comfort items. He knows what it’s like to be displaced, to flee, to start over with almost nothing. He and his sister plan to travel to the Ukraine-Poland border this month to give refugees the donated items as well as hope.
The five quilts – faces not shown to respect the anonymity of the recipients
L to R: Annette Montgomery, WINK-TV reporter; Jack Nortman, philanthropist; Nina Gray, CRC Board Chair and founder; Kari Lefort, CRC CEO
“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Nortman will tell them. “The world is behind you. We’re helping you. We’d like to do more. But we’re going to get you through this difficult time. Tell your husbands you’re being taken care of; they got their hands full fighting.”
Much like a quilt, which requires many layers, many hours, clever hands, and thoughtful design, not-for-profit organizations continue through the summer to stitch together new beginnings for Ukrainians in their hour of need. And the generous donors and kind-hearted volunteers of South Florida who have walked in those war-torn shoes pop up like sunflowers.