Friend,

So far, AFT members and supporters have raised more than $100,000 for our disaster relief fund for Ukrainian refugees. One hundred percent of all the money we raised is going directly into the relief efforts.

I’ve just landed in Poland at the invitation of Polish teachers union leaders to meet with refugee teachers and students from Ukraine and educators and healthcare workers from Poland to see firsthand the work that is being done to support refugee women and children.

I’ve spent the last week meeting on Zoom with Ukrainian teachers union leaders, Polish teachers and international labor leaders to make sure we’re maximizing how we can help. While I’m here in Poland, I’ll be meeting with refugees and identifying specific ways to use this money.

Through our partnership with First Book, I’m delivering children’s books and language-appropriate educational materials to the Polish schools that are integrating Ukrainian teachers and students. The Polish union is housing refugee children who crossed the border without parents. And they’re working on integrating other Ukrainian children into Polish schools. Helping them will be our first project with these funds. We will also be supporting the needs of Ukrainian teachers and students in Ukraine directly.

Can you help us get to $125,000? This money is going to help so many children, families and teachers. Let’s show them how much we care.

I’ll be sure to send you an update from here in Poland, and you can follow along on Twitter: @rweingarten.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President