The Beginning of Relief Efforts

When the war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, In God's Hand immediately felt compelled to help people fleeing the conflict at the Romanian-Ukrainian border. What started as bringing three refugee families into their own home quickly expanded into coordinating housing with friends and acquaintances as thousands of mothers and children sought safety in Romania. As the crisis grew with lines of refugees stretching twenty kilometers from the border, they organized teams to deliver food, hot tea, warm clothing, and other essentials to those waiting in desperate conditions in the cold and snow.

Expanding the Mission

In God's Hand's efforts expanded when they discovered over 60,000 internally displaced Ukrainians in Chernivtsi, a city near the border. After meeting with local officials and identifying the inadequate support these displaced people were receiving, they partnered with family members in Phoenix, Arizona to form the non-profit "In God's Hand." Working with a local Ukrainian pastor named Igor, they established a kitchen in a donated tent at the regional Council building, staffed by refugee chefs, which began serving over 1,000 meals daily to displaced people living in schools, abandoned buildings, and other inadequate shelters.

Growth and Continued Impact

The organization continued to identify and address needs within the displaced community, including organizing summer camps for children who had become withdrawn and isolated. Later it expanded its operations to support kitchens in multiple locations including Toretsk on the front lines working with Impact Partners Ukraine, collectively providing over 4,000 hot meals weekly to displaced people and those still living in war-affected areas. The organization operates entirely through volunteers, employs people from the communities they serve, and sources materials locally in Ukraine.