05/11/2026
Some people wait for life to feel “normal” before giving back. Iryna didn’t.
Just one week after arriving in the U.S., she asked: “How can I help sponsor another family?”
She had fled Ukraine, driving for five days—including one 27-hour nonstop stretch—to reach safety. She had said goodbye to her husband at the border, unsure of when they’d be reunited (he joined her 8 months later), and had hidden her toddler under blankets to muffle the sound of missiles.
And still, seven days after landing on U.S. soil, she was already paving the way for others. She reached out to her Neighborhood Support Team, to find a sponsor for a family.
At 40, she had to start over from zero. But instead of focusing on what she lost, she focused on who she could help.
That’s when she met Olga, a Russian-born woman in the U.S., heartbroken by the war and ready to act. Together, they bridged a divide and helped bring 8 families to safety!
Now a vital member of the WelcomeNST staff, Iryna helps Teams do what she did eight times over. She pours the same tireless passion into her work—driven by the belief that every child has the right to live without fear.
It is a generosity of spirit that never rests. As our founder Liz says:
“She is one of the most actively grateful people I know. Her quiet generosity is a thing of true beauty.”
