As the war in Ukraine continues, two mothers have found a way to help the families suffering through it. 

Tatiana Andersen and Alexandra Perich Kushnir grew up in Yonkers’ Ukrainian community, where they are raising their children. After watching mothers in Ukraine evacuate their homes, they started a collection drive to help.  

Perich Kushnir says the idea came to her as she was tucking her son Julian into bed and putting socks on his feet. “It just hit me how many moms in Ukraine aren’t doing that right now.” 

Anderson and Perich Kushnir spent Sunday collecting donations, including first aid items, baby formula and more. Businesses are donating moving boxes, a truck and food for volunteers.  

The Mamaroneck Police Benevolent Association invited people to fill their cruisers with supplies. Jim Maher, treasurer for the Town of Mamaroneck PBA, says they’re just trying to help. 

“We’re just doing a little bit, but if we can help, we can help,” says Maher. 

It wasn’t just the local community who showed up. People from Connecticut and Long Island also arrived to help.  

Connecticut resident, Molly Johnson, says her son has a girlfriend who lives in Ukraine. 

“My son’s 16-year-old girlfriend lives in Kyiv and she actually came to visit us and now she can’t go home,” says Johnson. 

Johnson brought a van and a car full of donations from people in Connecticut to show support for the girls’ parents.  

Kushnir says the support they are seeing is overwhelming.  

“The amount of phone calls we’ve received this week has been so overwhelming and I think that’s the silver lining in this whole thing,” says Kushnir.