110. Support for Ukrainian Families, with Our CEO Molly Ola Pinney and Anna Tuzova

Discover what’s possible when you're given a hand to hold.  Today we are joined by the CEO of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, and Sensory Integration Therapist, Anna Tuzova. Anna is a Ukrainian refugee currently living in Poland.  If you've been following our work closely, you'll know that a few weeks ago Molly visited Poland with a small team to learn how to best support Ukrainian families with autistic loved ones. Since then, we’ve been in direct communication with hundreds of families who need help. Families who have spent weeks in bomb shelters with their children, have had harrowing experiences trying to escape to safety, and are now just wanting to get their children back on track.  The stats are staggering. Over 105,000 families with autistic loved ones are fleeing Ukraine. The immediate needs of this community include housing and specialized services for their children. Unfortunately, the capacity of nearby countries to support these needs is extremely limited, and as such, families are left with little to no resources or hope.  Sadly, this war is not over. In a lot of ways, the struggles of these families have just begun, as they work to rebuild their lives in a new place.  There is a small window of time in which we can easily connect with those who fled Ukraine. Each day that these families are left in limbo, the children experience severe regression and the parents continue to feel lost, helpless, and powerless.  Families are constantly requesting educational services and continuation of care for their autistic loved ones. These would allow parents to start work and provide a routine and basic sense of normalcy for the entire family.  Our organization is on a mission to solve this urgent need now. We have several projects already in the works that will allow us to begin services and recreation opportunities for hundreds of Ukrainian families right away.  You can donate directly to our podcast community fundraising page at: give.globalautismproject.org/podcast  In today’s conversation, Molly, Anna, and I discuss: Anna’s life before the war Leaving Ukraine and settling in Poland Anna’s hopes for the future How the Global Autism Project is taking action Opportunities for those who want to get involved Advice for Ukrainian families with autistic loved ones  ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast  Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project  We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey