GRATITUDE REPORT – SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE – Tara Mandala Polska Sangha

Dear International Sangha, dear Vajra Sisters and Brothers,

We would like to THANK YOU ALL from the core of our hearts for being such wonderful practitioners of Dharma in action, practitioners of compassion and generosity! We are touched by your bodhicitta! So far wehave received from you 15.640 USD for Ukrainian refugees. Waves of gratitude for you and all who are helping!

We are enormously grateful to Lama-la, who offered us the most precious spiritual support from the very first moments of the war in Ukraine, launching the practice call and giving the most valuable teachings. Warmest gratitude to Lopon Charlotte, who met online with the Polish sangha and gave us helpful advices. Special thanks to Martha Tornielli who was the spiritus movens of the international action of collecting money for the Ukrainian refugees. We are grateful to individuals and to Tara Mandala Sanghas or over the world: New England, Netherland and Bay Area, and Chattanooga Sanghas; many practitioners from the German Sangha send us the dana they would have offered for 13 Tara practice (thank you, Bettina!). Thank you also to American Sanghas for sending us dana for YT and Troma Chod practice (Thank you Poly!). We would like also to express deep gratitude for the big wire we received from Arizona Friends of Tibet directed by Khandro Noble (for about 3.000 USD). On our side we are doing our best to use this money to provide help for human and animal beings who are suffering because of the war in Ukraine.

Here is the summary of our activities from March up to present moment:

We bought and delivered groceries and toiletries to the refugee centers in Warsaw that rely mainly on the donations from private individuals (like most refugee centers do).

We sent money to the foundation Sichowska Fundacja Edukacyjna that turned their guesthouse into the shelter for Ukrainian mothers with children with special needs.

We joined the effort initiated in Cracow called “Women for Women” and bought personal items (underwear, sanitary napkins, cosmetics etc.) for Ukrainian women. We were very moved experiencing the feeling that they are our mothers, sisters, and daughters.

On regular basis we help Hanna and Marian, a Ukrainian mother and her 30-year old son. Right before the war started Marian underwent a very serious oncological operation that resulted in a stoma. He has undergone another operation in Poland. We help them by paying rent for their room, paying for medical visits, NutriDrink supplements for Marian and other expenses connected with his treatment that are not covered by our national health system and are beyond their budget.

We financially support the foundation “Stawiamy na lapy” (“We put on the paws”) based in Cracow, which is helping cats brought by volunteers from war torn Ukraine.

We aided the foundation “Pracownia na rzecz wszystkich istot” (“Workshop for all beings” our sangha member Kasia works for them).They turned their Ecological Education Station in Bystra into a temporary home for Ukrainian mothers with young children.

We gave a donation to the foundation “Szczesliwe dzieci” (“Happy Kids”) that is taking care of children from orphanages and foster care evacuated from Ukraine.

We offered financial aid to Vita, a young mother with three daughters (Anitka, 5 years old, Sofka, 6 years old, Violetta 18 years old) so she could purchase clothes, personal hygiene products and necessary medicines.

We offered the donation to the foundation “Slonie na balkonie” (“Elephants on the Balcony”) helping refugee children in emotional crisis.

We bought and delivered food for 100 dogs and cat refugees from Ukraine that found home in the animal shelter run by Viva! Foundation.

We sent the money to the foundation called “Feminoteka” (feminist activists) that offers professional psychological help for Ukrainian women refugees that are the victims of rapes and sexual abuse.

We financially aided the efforts of a small group of very determined Polish individuals who transported the most necessary medications, disinfectants, sedatives, bandages, plasters, etc. to the city of Kharkiv. For the first months of the war the city was being bombed and shelled, and its inhabitants had to seek shelter in the subway.

We helped 21 years old Sasza, who is an artist and who fled the city of Kherson occupied by Russian troops – we bought for her paints, brushes, pigments and other necessary equipment, so that she could earn her keep and send money to her elderly parents to Kherson. Sasza paints beautiful artistic frescoes. (In the attachment her work „Ukraine, the goddess”

We bought clothes for Halina and her three daughters. Halina miraculously fled Mariupol with just a few plastic bags. Her husband is in the Ukrainian army.

We supported teenager Denis who came from the Mariupol area over 2 months ago, he lives with his mother. Denis is 3 weeks after surgery, he needs rehabilitation and another knee MRI, which was recommended by the orthopedist. We sponsored the MRI of his leg.

He provided 16 years old teenager Artem with cloths for this season, he is completely alone in Poland, his mother had to stay in Ukraine.

We buy pet food that goes to eastern Ukraine. A group of very brave young people were able to go as far as the city of Kharkiv. This help is very much needed, because due to the war there are a lot of stray cats and dogs there and people have very limited resources to feed them.

We supported Jevgenya, who lives with her mother and her beloved dog in a refugee center in Warsaw. We covered the costs of the medical treatment for the dog (necessary after the heavy injury) and the special feed.

We supported Stowarzyszenie Zwykłe Pogotowie dla Zwierząt (Ordinary Ambulance for Animals Association). Our hearts went especially for Marianek, a dog rescued from Ukraine. All burns, scars and wounds on his body told a very tragic story of his life. Thanks to generous donations Marianek and other dogs in need can receive proper medical treatment.

We supported Dzogchen Community in Warsaw, who sent the money to the Vajra brothers and sisters in the city of Kharkiv, who are in a very difficult situation with food shortages and everyday shellings.

We support women fighting in the Ukrainian army by giving donations for buying and sending to them canned food, dried fruit, coffee and much needed sanitary napkins.

We supported the initiative “Siemianowice for Ukraine” to help disabled people in Ukraine who cannot leave their country. We offered the donation for disposable diapers for children and adults, supplements and functional food, toiletries.

We supported Youth Shelter for Ukrainian Refugees in Cracow sending them money for food and hygiene products.

We supported Kulawa Warszawa Foundation; their current effort is mainly dedicated to helping refugees with disabilities both in Poland and Ukraine, as well as organizing humanitarian transports with special equipment to hospitals (orthopedic wheelchairs, special wheelchairs for kids with disabilities, blood pressure monitors and many others).

We paid for the surgery of the Ukrainian dog Myr with leg injury.

We donated money to the foundation which helped Ukrainian people to rebuild their homes and schools in Ukraine. This task is very challenging due to the shortages of basic materials: windows, doors and window glass. The foundation is collecting windows in Poland from private owners and producers and is planning to collect 500 windows until September. The money is needed for renting out the storage unit, for sustainable packaging, transport and logistics, as well as insurance.

We supported Foundation Viva for refugee dogs from Ukraine in Shelter in Opoczno to provide medical treatment.

We sent some support to the confident person in Ukraine to supply cat shelter with food and medicine.

We helped Ukrainian women Yevgenya to vacinate her 3 cats.

We helped 16-year old boy Artem, who was alone in Poland to have home, food, warm clothes and care and supported him in obtaining a visa to Canada and in sending his ressetlment luggage.

We donated to a psychiatric hospital in Lviv. The money from donation will be used to purchase equipment and termic clothing for the patientes of psychiatric hospital in Kulparkowo, the largest such facility in Ukraine. The hospital is in a very difficult situation: at the moment there are over 1,200 patients, more than twice as many as at the beginning of the war – sick people from destroyed hospitals in the eastern part of the country were sent to Kulparkowo.
We sent a donation to the Lutsk Zoo, which has animals from war zones and pets brought by temporary displaced people who are unable to keep and feed them. They will buy food and generators for heating rooms with thermophilic animals because due to the situation the electricity is turned off for longer periods. Their motto „Everyone has the right to live in safety and warmth”.

All this precious help these people and animals received from you, because of your donation, you make a difference! We are just kind executors of your generosity and compassion. May the blessings of gratitude and merit reach you all!

We will continue to bring support for Ukrainians refugees thanks to your goodness.

Once again thank you for your openheartened, precious help.

Ela, Iwona, Sandra, Drime, Eliza from the Polish sangha

Some pictures:

Financial aid to Vita and her 3 children (with Drime).

Food for dogs and cat refugees from Ukraine for Viva Foundation.

Clothes, personal hygiene products and necessary medicines for Vita children.

Medical treatment for the dog of Yevgenya from Ukraine.

Special recovery food for the dog of Yevgenya from Ukraine.

Money for Halina and her 3 daughters for clothes and needs and smile with tears.

Support for women fighting in the Ukrainian army.

Help for Marianek, a dog rescued from Ukraine (wounded by bomb fragments).

We supported 21 years old Ukrainian girl Sasza, who is an artist – we bought for her paints, brushes, pigments and other necessary equipment for her work.

Sasza’s painting „Ukraine Goddess”.

We supported the surgery of the Ukrainian dog Myr with leg injury.

We supported the initiative “Siemianowice for Ukraine” to help disabled people in Ukraine who cannot leave their country.

We supported the initiative “Siemianowice for Ukraine” to help disabled people in Ukraine who cannot leave their country.

We supported Foundation Viva for refugee dogs from Ukraine in Shelter in Opoczno to provide medical treatment.

We supported Foundation Viva for refugee dogs from Ukraine in Shelter in Opoczno to provide medical treatment.

We bought and delivered food for dogs and cat refugees from Ukraine that found home in the animal shelter run by Viva! Foundation.

We donated money to the foundation which helped Ukrainian people to rebuild their homes and schools in Ukraine.

We donated money to the foundation which helped Ukrainian people to rebuild their homes and schools in Ukraine.

Collage including in the middle action in Cracow called “Women for Women” and bought personal items (underwear, sanitary napkins, cosmetics etc.) for Ukrainian women.

We helped 16-year old boy Artem, who was alone in Poland to have home (with Iwona and her daughter), food, warm clothes and care. We also supported him in obtaining a visa to Canada and in sending his ressetlment luggage.