Thread by @tanjamaier17

Y called me. When ever Y says "it's urgent", it is. We met almost a year ago at the train station. She is from Belarus, single mom of two kids. Speaks perfect German, lived here a long time. Now works for a private company offering social housing to the state(s). Works 24/7.

She will "in her free time" (a mystery to me when that is) gather up baby items for a mom about to give birth, or drop off some household items, or call a guy she knows with a car to drive a washing machine or bike from A to B. That's Y. She lives and breathes her work. Anyway...

...Y says:

There is a young Ukrainian mom alone with her 2yo daughter. No money at all. Volunteers in Ukraine gave them donated funds to get them to Vienna. Y has housing for the pair but it is in Steiermark; the need €100 for a train ticket + Hofer card.

I agree to buy a train ticket and seat reservation, and deliver a card, but for that I would need €100. If you are interested to help, please DM. I also now discover though this process that refugees are also expected to get themselves to social housing on their own dime.

Over the past few days I have heard from several different people (journalist, well-off Ukrainian) about just how bad the situation is on the ground in Ukraine right now in many areas. There is no free housing. There is no state financial support. There are no Hofer cards.

I view these new arrivals in this context. You are dealing with people who left in many cases because they could not survive economically at home. Sometimes €50 or €100 is enough to fix a problem with a very good solution. Sometimes.

Other times you make mistakes. I just realised speaking to Y (as we talk to the same Ukrainians) I made a mistake this week and gave two cards to alcoholics. I sensed it, but she confirmed it. I don't know how to avoid that. Maybe we cannot. I don't want to limit to only kids...

...because a lot of elderly ask us for cards too. While I was driving this morning a 75 year old called me just to say "I am Myhailo from Ukraine and I need help" and so of course you want to help him too and ask him please to have someone text me his address.

It's hard.

Drop drop drop in a bucket of 40 million but you try. I share these stories to give context. Y had to deal with neo-Nazis showing up this weekend in one of the towns where she has housed Ukrainian refugees. Police were present. Nothing happened. That too is our reality now.

TICKET SORTED and Hofer card too. I’ll offer them a lift to the train station. DANKE 💜💜💜

@threadreaderapp pls unroll