ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — When he heard about the war in Ukraine and humanitarian crisis, Gordon Farhat said he dropped everything he was doing to lend a helping hand.
The Roseville man showed 7 Action News snapshots of his recent trip to Ukraine and Poland, where families are fleeing for their lives from one country to the other as Russia invades.
"This is the medical supplies. This is for the kids," he pointed. "It breaks my heart seeing families picking up, and they got nowhere to go."
As items accumulate in his living room again, Farhat said he left for Poland with four giant duffel bags of donated and purchased items along with one suitcase.
"Hygiene products, baby formula, stuffed animals," he said.
Those are items he picks up from people who respond on social media or who drop things off to volunteer April Bilek, who keeps Farhat organized.
"There needs to be more people like Gordon on this planet to be honest," Bilek said.
The two, who do charity work locally, said what's happening in Ukraine, few Americans can imagine.
"I'm a huge believer in that we are just one people who are separated by oceans and rivers and all that other stuff, and it's our job to take care of our neighbors, regardless if that's your next-door neighbor, the person with you at school or your neighbors as in a different country," she explained.
Farhat said donations have also helped him rent out Airbnb's for up to three weeks for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
When asked about how he feels being able to help, Farhat replied, "I'm still recovering from strokes. I take maybe 20 to 25 pills a day to survive. But helping people out is by far the best feeling in the world."
He added, "It makes me feel good when I know that a family has a warm place to stay, or they have the stuff they need to survive one week, two weeks, three weeks."
Farhat said he's headed back April 22. If you're interested in donating to his cause, there's a list of specific items needed online with Amazon. Monetary donations can also be sent online through GiveSendGo.
