NOBLESVILLE, Ind — The nonprofit Mission to Ukraine has staff from Indiana on the frontlines in Ukraine, helping hundreds of families flee to borders while dodging the attacks.
Leaders with the organization said their team will hear four to five sirens a day, forcing them into bomb shelters and basements, with blankets over their head to prevent any debris hitting them as bombs explode.
"I know of churches and I know of public buildings and schools that are being demolished right in the area where we work," said Steve Boles, executive director of Mission to Ukraine. "They happen in the daytime; they happen at nighttime."
While they take cover, they're also working to get as many people to safety as possible, mainly pregnant women and young children with disabilities.
Boles said about 60% of their staff and 50% of clients have been able to travel to western Ukraine or surrounding countries in order to avoid Russia's attacks.
"It's about a six-hour drive each way. So we've been doing that with a couple of the vans that we've been provided," Boles said. "We're also cooperating really closely with the city of Zhytomyr – it's a city of about 260,000 people – working really closely with some of their defense, setting up sandbags, and cleaning up air raid shelters so that our people can spend the nights there as well."
The nonprofit said they're also working to get supplies over to their team to help with their mission.
They're collecting diapers, clothing, canned food items and financial donations. They're also asking for prayers.
If you would like to donate or learn more about the organization, click here.