Fight For Freedom’s Work to Serve Ukrainian Children and Refugees

Whenever a 501 Collective team goes into another country, it’s because of relationships. Nothing is done with a ‘hero’ mentality but with a partnership with those on the ground.

When 501 went to Romania & Ukraine, it was with Vital Solutions, a nonprofit based out of Seattle, WA whose founders were from Suceava, Romania (where we have been serving). While we were in Suceava, we met Fight For Freedom who we began partnering with as well.

Fight For Freedom ran a center, which was first started as a space for former prisoners, had been turned into a Refugee Center at the start of the war. Our team returned in August to partner with FFF, expecting to find many refugees there. And we did, but it was different from what we expected. It was 70+ orphaned children and their caregivers.

While Russia was trying to ‘capture’ orphanages in Ukraine to repopulate areas of Russia, Ukraine was working to find neighboring countries who could help care for their children. FFF took in 70 children ages 0 to 5 and now have 135 children.

FFF has been searching locally about the potential of renting out hotels for a year+ to bring more orphans and children at risk to safety, potentially upwards of 700 children.

501 Collective continues to partner and keep in touch with FFF to support them in their work.

On December 18 to 30, 501 Collective will be taking another team to Romania & Ukraine to spend Christmas serving with both the Romanian locals and Ukrainian refugees.