Touch 1 Life was established in the Spring of 2022, shortly after the war broke out in Ukraine. Our initial effort was working with local organizations to send humanitarian aid to the people fleeing their homes, often with nothing more than a single suitcase. As refugees began arriving in the US however, we shifted our focus more toward helping these families access the essentials they need to res
tart their lives here in Oregon and SW Washington. Our organization has helped many families, connecting them with generous donors willing to provide things like: beds to sleep on, couches and dining tables on which to gather and much more. In particular though, Touch 1 Life is focused on helping refugee children. Elana, Touch 1 Life’s founder, was once a Ukrainian refugee herself–her family arriving in Portland in the late 80’s, themselves fleeing from Soviet oppression. Like the refugee kids today, she knows first-hand that in times like this, families often cannot prioritize the small creature comforts that help their children feel at home–things like bikes, toys and clothing.
