As hundreds of thousands Ukrainians flee their country, a call to action as local nonprofits prepare to welcome those landing in the Bay Area. “It’s very important that we get people rallied behind this in a timely fashion and prepare for the influx that’s to come,” said Monica Polissky, a volunteer with Nova Ukraine – a nonprofit helping to organize volunteers.
When the Pain Becomes a Part of You
“Nova Ukraine's new Vector of Resilience joint pilot project helps Ukraine's veteran support specialists address burnout and secondary traumatic stress.” The program's first residential trainings, launched by Nova Ukraine and its partners, were recently held in Ukraine's Volyn Oblast. Mariia, a support specialist, almost didn't attend. Leaving the veterans and families she supported for three days filled her with guilt she couldn't shake. She worried about how they would manage without her. But when she found herself among psychologists, social workers, healthcare professionals, and community specialists who shared the same responsibilities, something changed.