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Looking to help Ukraine? Here's how to donate to local causes

A West Michigan family is collecting medical supplies for Ukrainian soldiers.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For Oleksandra Soltinska and her daughter Veronika Pleune, hearing back from family in Ukraine is heart-stopping every day.

"Every day, it's something new," Soltinska says. "Like today, when I spoke to my sister-in-law, she says, 'Please pray for us. Because they started bombing our city... I waiting to the three, four o'clock in the morning (to) hear from them (to see) if they okay."

Even though they're thousands of miles away from their hometown of Ivano-Frankivsk, they still knew they needed help.

"We created an Amazon gift registry, posted it on Facebook, and it's just gone amazing," Pleune says. "I mean, the support and outpour of love has been unbelievable."

After sharing the link online, most medical supplies have been bought at least once.

"It's lots of trauma (supplies), lots of bandages, lots of tourniquets, anticoagulants, fever reducers, just things that will help," Pleune says.

RELATED: SpartanNash donating $1 million in food, supplies to Ukraine

Those supplies are being packed up by her sister in Chicago and dropped off at a shipping location in the city. From there, it's a long journey to soldiers in Ukraine.

"Then it goes to a warehouse in Poland. And then they take it to Ukraine. And then my cousin will drive up there and pick it up from there and bring it to our hometown where it's needed," Pleune says.

St. Michael the Archangel's Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on Gold Avenue is also taking donations to be sent through the diocese. The church has received $13,000 in donations so far.

"It's a huge thank you for everybody who support us," Soltinska says.

On top of donations, she and her daughter are asking for prayers for peace and safety for those in Ukraine.

"I guess at this point, we're just hoping for a miracle," Pleune says.

St. Michael's is taking monetary donations by check at their church, 154 Gold Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. 

The mother and daughter are accepting medical supply donations on Amazon and at 1915 Benjamin Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505. 

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