Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, Berlin resident Anna Kobylarz has made more than a dozen trips back and forth to the war-torn country. On the ground in Ukraine, she helps orphaned children.

Kobylarz is president of Community Help, an associated program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut.

Kobylarz discussed her humanitarian efforts during a July 18 talk at Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. She was joined by Zoriana Kramarenko, of New Britain. The women work closely with doctors, hospital administrators and others focused on protecting Ukranian youngsters.

“In the beginning, everyone was talking about the war and what was needed. After a year, people have different interests,” Kobylarz said, pointing out that “there are still children who still need support.”

“Sometimes people forget about the children,” she added.

Kramarenko said she has family in Ukraine, and when the war began, she knew she had to help. She and Kobylarz focus on providing care for dozens of children at the City of Goodness shelter in Ukraine. 

The website MyCommunityHelp.org states: “City of Goodness is a center that accepts women with children and elderly people from all the war zone areas. During the war the center has taken in three evacuee orphanages from the South of Ukraine … At the City of Goodness now there are 186 kids and 350 people in general.”

Berlin resident Patricia Checko attended the library program and was so moved by the talk, she wrote a $500 check to support Community Help’s efforts in Ukraine. “That’s how I can help,” said Checko, “because I can’t go over there and help.”

To learn how to support Community Help, visit mycommunityhelp.org. 

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