Agata Czopek
Agata Czopek can hardly eat or sleep at night—just talking about what’s happening in Ukraine can elicit tears.
Czopek, a Halifax-area resident, is originally from Poland, where many Ukrainian families are seeking refuge from military attacks on their country by neighboring Russia. Some of these families are close friends of Czopek’s.
While she isn’t even on the same continent now, Czopek has found a way to help Ukrainian families through a GoFundMe fundraiser.
“This is not some far away war that we shouldn’t care about,” she said. “Each of us has an ability to make a difference.”
By Thursday afternoon, Czopek’s page had raised over $9,000 that she plans to give directly to Ukrainian families in need. It will assist them with things like food, housing, childcare and transportation, among other necessities, she explained.
Czopek knows many of these families through her previous position as the director of international programs at Harrisburg’s International House, which closed during the pandemic. In that role, she worked to recruit students from around the world to come to the Harrisburg area to participate in an international exchange program. Over the years, thousands of students from Ukraine enrolled, Czopek often taking trips to the country to work with recruiting partners. These business partners then became friends.
“It’s just so hard when people you love and know are affected,” she said. “The uncertainty is so threatening.”
Brad Jones, CEO of Harristown Enterprises, the former owner of International House, worked closely with Czopek and accompanied her on one of her trips to Ukraine.
“I have very fond memories of Ukraine,” he said. “When you meet the people and appreciate the culture, it gives you a much more personal connection.”
Jones donated to the GoFundMe saying that, “it’s a way to help in a very sad situation.”
Czopek is also helping connect Ukrainian families with her Polish family and friends, who can assist those seeking refuge.
“My country is united like never before,” she said. “I want to tell the world how proud I am to be Polish.”
Czopek hopes to raise even more than her $10,000 goal on GoFundMe for the Ukrainian families that she knows, some of whom have a connection to Harrisburg through International House. She implored people to think about the international students that once lived in their city.
“They worked in our businesses, they helped our economy, they lived in our community,” she said. “The more resources we have, the more help we can offer.”
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