22 Sides
22 Sides is a podcast that will let you get to know some fascinating people and keep up with many things that are happening in and around the Houston area.
22 Sides
The Ukrainian Crisis: From Awareness to Action
In this powerful conversation with Francine Goundry from Nova Ukraine, we uncover the stark reality facing Ukrainians today.
Founded in 2014, Nova Ukraine has emerged as an efficient humanitarian organization responding to the crisis, with comprehensive yet targeted supplies, establishing warming stations near railway hubs, providing portable medical equipment to field hospitals, and creating bomb shelters where government infrastructure has failed.
The conversation takes us beyond statistics to the human stories that often go untold. We hear about recent visitors to once-vibrant Ukrainian cities now standing in empty streets weeping at the total devastation.
For listeners wondering how to help, Francine offers numerous pathways to meaningful action – from virtual English teaching and mentorship programs to church partnerships and corporate matching gifts. She emphasizes the importance of researching charities through resources like Charity Navigator and Candid to ensure transparency and effectiveness.
As winter approaches, bringing new hardships to a war-torn population, this episode serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for compassionate action. The war in Ukraine may have faded from daily headlines, but through organizations like Nova Ukraine, we can ensure the Ukrainian people aren't forgotten and that vital support continues to reach those who need it most.
For more information please see Nova Ukraine:
https://novaukraine.org/
We hope you will listen often.
For more information, visit our website 22sides.com
Welcome to 22 Sides. I'm Robin Mack and we're here today with Alexis Melvin and Fran Goundry. We're super excited. We have a few topics to cover today. We're just going to kick it off. We want to hear a little bit about you. Thanks for coming in. Thank you for having me.
Francine:This is a really extraordinary opportunity, and I want to thank you both for allowing me to come Kathy Crawford.
Robin:We've had her on another episode. She's a poet and HR representative and just a dear friend of mine. I got to know her through many different things. She was what you can consider a mentor and we did a lot of yoga together, a lot of things. She just had her new book come out and she built a bridge for us to meet you.
Alexis:Yes.
Robin:And, as it turns out, you have a bit of an art background. And I don't think you knew just all the art you're about to walk into today, so it's a really pleasant surprise to see your joy around all the art.
Francine:Yeah, yeah, I'm originally from New York, if you couldn't tell.
Alexis:I was guessing it was the Northeast.
Francine:We can tell.
Robin:We can tell.
Francine:So yeah, I've been down in Texas since 90. You know you could take the girl out of New York, but you can't take the girl everything else out of New York.
Robin:Bring it with you. Bring it with you Bring it with me.
Francine:So yeah, when I was in New York I was. My background is art education and special ed. Actually, I was in education for too many years to remember, and in administration as well. And when I came down to Texas in 90, my first job here was actually an A-leaf in special ed. But my art education love I left in New York because I taught in Northport, new York I don't know if you know that as an art educator and anyway, traveled here, did special ed here and said never again am I going to be in education in Texas.
Alexis:I was about to say that must have been a culture shock. It was huge. And the worst part is, as far as special ed and art education, haley's probably the best we have. It's not totally private school. That's just my opinion.
Francine:Yeah Well, the special ed was a little different than what I was used to.
Alexis:Let's just say that and.
Francine:I'll leave it at that.
Alexis:Yeah.
Francine:So, with years after that, because of my focus in education, I found that the nonprofit world was the next step into my journey, never leaving the art behind.
Robin:No, I could see your passion for it. Yeah, you're gonna reopen a chapter over and over again. You don't have to close all chapters, just because it was in the past, you carry it forward. You always carry it forward, always.
Francine:Always carry it forward always, and so I've been in nonprofit now for 20-something years and I think for me nonprofit is just like my heart strings you know, because you're helping.
Robin:The passion, the people, yeah, the service. I'm a real bad sucker for helping people, you know Sometimes you know they say you get paid double when that happens, right, it's not just your work, it's your passion. But it is hard, you know, to leave it all at work. I bet yeah it is. What nonprofits have you worked for that you just want to highlight?
Francine:I was at Star of Hope for quite a while, okay, you know, working with those on the street, which was an eye-opening experience.
Robin:That was in Texas Houston.
Francine:Okay, and was just you know the one thing about what I've learned through you know, as we age, because I'm just a ripe old, young Czech here.
Robin:Yeah, it's not a camera podcast, so do you want to float around a number for those listening if they can't guess Over 35.
Alexis:Okay, okay, okay, and if anybody carefully listens, she did say sort of where it was.
Francine:Yes, but you know there's over 27,000 nonprofits in Houston.
Robin:There's so much. We were talking to Frost Murphy and I had to look up how many there were in just Texas. You know it is just a lot and he did a little overview on—he went with a program that showed you different nonprofits and how to sign up for them, what to do for them and how to pick because there's so many.
Francine:There's so many. So, yeah, there are so many. And really, as you know, in my journey through education, I realized that, as I was in education, I was always selling a concept. It might not have been giving me a financial reward, but I was always selling a concept to a child or to an individual to support the institution that I was working for. So it was a long journey, but in my later years I realized gosh, you know, I'm a good developer, I'm good with people, I'm good with relationships, making those connections.
Robin:Yeah, I feel like you've never met a stranger. You're like you're. You came in. You're like right at home, super warm.
Francine:You're so sweet yeah yeah, my kids always hate that Every place we go to it's like Mom is there, like no place we can go where you don't know someone.
Robin:Alexis and I- have a very similar experience and one of the times she said to me she says, actually that's how I got on the board of the Transgender Foundation of America and I said, why me? You know, I'm a yoga instructor, a massage therapist.
Alexis:She said, between the two of us we can know everyone in the room, and that's just true. Like you have to have some people and if not the two people we didn't know we will by the end of the day, that's right, yeah.
Robin:But then I have friends that say gosh, have you ever considered not saying hi to people when you're?
Alexis:out in public Because, you know, I just always run into people. But I love that.
Robin:I love that connection, I love the accountability. I love the little reunion that you didn't like schedule, you know, and I said no, I never considered that Jennifer Marie. And then we actually interviewed her and the funny thing is the conversation rolled out on how she did a challenge to meet friends. So, you know we all want to be connected, so I'm glad that you bring that natural energy to it.
Francine:Oh, thank you. I really think with the depth of my heart, we're all connected. Oh, 100%, you know there's something that connects each one of us, yeah, and we just have to kind of zero in on that. Yeah, and that's part of my job which I love.
Robin:Yeah, that's so great Making that connection. So you went from Star of Hope. Is that what you said, star?
Francine:of.
Robin:Hope Okay, and then I can mix up names and then what else Any other to highlight?
Francine:Well, I was at Azarone for a while, which served the Indian community, okay, with trafficking, which another amazing mission and journey. And then one day my old supervisor, my old boss from Star of Hope, who was no longer there he left before I left reached out to me and said I've got this place, fran, you're going to be amazing. Listen to the story. And it was where I am now, at nova ukraine and with what's going on right with the, with the war.
Francine:I knew nothing because it's not in the news every day and yet it is in the news, you know, yeah, so I I through listening to what he said and he's a very compassionate man really another person that I connect so well with because he loves everybody and he's good with everybody and the best boss I ever had.
Robin:So if you're listening, jeff, hey, jeff, nice, I love that.
Francine:The best boss I ever had.
Robin:Not everyone loves their boss. Good job, jennifer, good job.
Francine:But you know he speaks from the heart, just like me, and we have that really good connection which is so important when you're working with somebody.
Robin:And obviously you moved over there.
Francine:Yeah obviously I moved over there. You know, when he just started telling me about Novy Ukraine, I was just like, yeah, you know just the amount that they serve and the humanitarian aid that's provided and you know it's based on volunteers and 3,500 volunteers.
Robin:Now, this is national right, not local.
Francine:Yeah, it's national Oops, sorry, it's national and obviously in Ukraine, we have about 70 people on the ground doing the work, that work with partners, so we can't do this on our own and there are people that do like what you all do better than what I would do in your jobs right now, what your passion is art, so, yeah, so it's just an incredible organization that has been around since 2014.
Robin:That's what I noticed when you sent a little fact sheet. Nova Ukraine has been around since 2014. That's what I noticed when you sent a little fact sheet. Nova Ukraine has been around since 2014. And to me, I was having that experience. I was just telling Alexis exactly what you said yesterday. I hear about it every day in the news now, which I'm glad they're pointing to it, but I don't hear what's really happening. I don't hear where the help is being had or like what's the solution at this point.
Alexis:And you hear multiple versions of what's happening and there's really not enough information to sort out exactly what is right, wrong or just bullshit, to be really blunt.
Francine:Yes.
Alexis:We have so much of the bullshit.
Francine:Without a doubt. And you know, I met with two of my dear friends that are Ukrainian who've?
Francine:become my dear friends, and the wife just got back from Ukraine about three weeks ago. She's originally from Odessa and she went back home to visit her family and she was telling me that you know, last year at this time, there were buildings, there were restaurants, there were businesses, there were people on the street. She said. I stood in the middle of the street and I wept. The buildings are all down, the businesses are gone, there's no people on the street, it's just decimated.
Robin:I mean it blows my mind that she could go back. You know, I mean it's not that I don't want, I know people are going to connect. I saw, when I don't know what, a year ago, two years ago now, when a lot of the bombing actually happened, that I mean I feel like I was a diligent viewer of an actual war happening in real time and there were multiple battles going on. But Ukraine, specifically, where they were telling the men that they had to stay, the women that they had to go, grandfathers making their own sandwiches, and that was it. You know, like I can't imagine going back to that yet. You know, I just can't imagine that.
Robin:I know everyone was really displaced and replaced and I know Houston took in a lot of people and I know that a lot of the social workers and volunteers, even from the YMCA, were trying to recruit Ukrainian speakers to help place people, help give supplies. So your org isn't the only org that's doing things, but Houston is so huge and diverse. But I just for people that are trying to track this, you're saying 2014. So apparently it was leading up to the need for this that you would say that your org sees beyond the news. Leave the news where it's at, but, like in the need of the people and how people can actually be a direct support. I think sometimes we just need to know, like, what is really going on first, yeah, yeah.
Francine:Well, if you can imagine that to this day, over 65% of the infrastructure of Ukraine has been decimated. So that's electricity, that's water. So people can't flush a toilet, they can't take a shower, they have no running water. Again, I refer back to this woman who I met with just the other day and she was telling me that her sister has an apartment in the northern part of Odessa and it's a two-bedroom apartment. Now, mind you, in Houston it would be ridiculous price, $150 American dollars. She can't afford it because there's no businesses, there's no anything to support her way of living, no food they're living on. She was saying, like barley, three times a day. Or another gentleman was eating toast with mayonnaise three times a day. So it's a really devastating they're on scraps.
Robin:Yeah, it's terrible what was left over.
Francine:We've been putting in water stations, we've been providing food to millions of people, but it's still not enough, because there are people that are in these extenuating areas that, even though their home has been bombed and decimated, it's still their home and they go back been bombed and decimated. It's still their home and they go back.
Alexis:Yeah.
Robin:Well, you know, if there's any place that understands something a little like this, like we go through storms in Houston and Galveston, right, and people are asked over and over again do not stay, leave your home, blah, blah, blah, and they'll stay right and then they're in their home. This is a little pre-planned. We know to look after it, we know it's coming up, but the minute you don't have electricity and water, you know there's only so much bottle water you can have, there's only so many days you can wait without electricity. So I'm just drawing it back to a little bit of maybe what we can understand here. You only go a few days without some of that stuff without getting real nutty, you know, and real in need.
Francine:Yeah, I mean you know, and real in need. Yeah, I mean you know you have people that never face poverty. I mean worse than we see here in Houston, because we have food pantries, right, you know we have people that are out there providing support every day because there's no war every day. I mean you have drones, and she was telling me when she was there, these suicide drones they have now and you hear them buzzing 24-7 over your head and the air raid bombs are going off and they've become so desensitized it's like well, if it's going to happen.
Francine:It's going to happen Because a bomb shelter maybe is not going to be the best place to be and you can't stay there forever. And you can't stay there forever because the bomb shelters they had like 60, I think it was like 60,000, and only a third were actually you were able to use. Wow, so that's something else we've provided is bomb shelters above ground. They weren't even accessible, right? So if you were in a wheelchair, you couldn't get down the stairs.
Robin:Yeah, no, they weren't planning for you, no planning.
Francine:The hospitals have been decimated.
Robin:Right, that was some of the first to be hit. Yeah.
Francine:Crazy. You have these drones that are overhead, that are bombing ambulances, right? So you're not getting one person, you're getting three for the price of one, and so we're providing these jammers so that they don't get hit, they're not targeted. And they've come up with something new. So now those don't work, so you're constantly having to.
Alexis:It's technology over technology. I mean, it's very much like Britain during World War II. You would hear the rockets and you know what you hoped was that the engine wouldn't stop, because that means it's coming down. Yes, yes, and you know they have hoped was that the engine wouldn't stop, because that means it's coming down.
Francine:Yes, yes.
Alexis:And you know they have to be that way.
Francine:Yes, yes, but it's you know the push. Now is winter.
Alexis:Right.
Robin:Because winters there are really hard.
Francine:So the push now is let's store up and get the supplies necessary for winter the blankets, the heating elements. We've provided little stoves for heating and for cooking, because that's something they don't have. We're in, I forget, 10 regions with these. Wherever the railway stations are, we have these warming stations and we have an amazing supporter. The Buffett Foundation has been an amazing support to Novi Ukraine in providing the funds necessary to have these points of invincibility for the people to go to for shelter, for warmth, for plugging in their phone. You know they've helped to support extracurricular schools. Yeah, Because 20% still 20% are at home, so they're not getting the contact.
Robin:I wonder if you know just how many people are still there. Like what are the numbers we're working with that we're supporting over there? If you had to guess?
Francine:You know, I know that there's over 4.6 million that are just without water.
Robin:Okay, Okay, and I know what's the strategy for NOVA. Is it just to keep connecting people as much as possible and bring relief along the way? Do you support people just over there or do you support people who have evacuated in other places? Or how far is NOVA's reach in support?
Francine:in other places? Or how far is NOVA's reach in support? Right now, the bulk of our funds go to Ukraine and over 52% go straight for medical, because that's the highest need. On every dollar, between 94 and 96 cents goes, which, if you know, nonprofits that's unheard of that's a big deal. Yeah, the average is about 80%, so that makes me feel, you know, the impact is tremendous.
Robin:You're literally like doing what you can to draw bridges to a directory leaf and we've, through some of our storm disasters, had issues with some nonprofits not delivering on their word and just paying their staff or being more barriers than they were support to people when we're in storms and people were, you know, sheltering, say, at a stadium or whatnot, having left their belongings behind, their identification behind, and then they were charging them to make IDs. It was nuts, you know, it's just.
Alexis:Fortunately that was Florida, not Texas, One of the few things we did right here.
Robin:Yeah, and you know, in Houston we had a storm, Harvey that hit here in Houston and then it went to Florida and then it went to Puerto Rico. Is that right?
Alexis:No, they just all happened to have three disasters in those locations the same year.
Robin:Oh OK, it just seemed back to back like it was a blur. And the Transgender Foundation of America had a trans disaster relief fund and we were trying to get funds to people not just in Houston but in Florida. And then we sort of had to draw a line a little bit to Puerto Rico because there wasn't a way like they lost electricity, there really wasn't a way to get it to them. So I mean these practical things, you can have people who want to help, but if you're not drawing the bridges, it just doesn't get all over there.
Francine:Yeah, you know, every day I sit back and I just thank the big one because, just the simplest thing, you know this cup of coffee, you know the roof over my head? Yeah, I had to go to the restroom, right, we all go to the restroom in the morning, especially after a cup of coffee. Sure, you know I would not be able to flush Right.
Francine:So it's those little things that I think we all take for granted, absolutely, and I think, and because of so many other things that are happening in our world, it really makes me sit back and say why we are so, so blessed. Why are we so stupid? I mean, we are so stupid.
Robin:A lot of people are not as present to it as you are, because, again, it's not like we're being told, we're only being told certain things. Right, you know, it doesn't matter the news outlet you're looking at. You can go to people who are reporting on the ground Okay, well, they still might just be reporting the tragedy, not necessarily the solution, and they might just be reporting death and no solution versus the people who are there. And what can you do? So I mean, even the best reporters get a little angled sometimes, but for people who want to stay aware, it takes a lot to find those things sometimes and then you just get a little like you have to move on to topics because, in fairness, we're living our life too right, like I always look at how this me myself can be a part of the we, the bigger we, and what can we do locally, statewide, nationally, globally?
Robin:But we have to remember this happened around the pandemic, like, but, like you're saying, it was going on longer than that. We just weren't, even at most lay people weren't at the axis of that and maybe if you had friends, family or travelers that were going, you kind of got some wind and maybe there was some foreshadowing and some badgering between the two countries and whatnot, but this isn't the only war issue battle social justice need going on at once, right? So I mean, if you're a care bearer, alexis and I were taking this on, you know, talking about this in 2015 around about there were just so many social justice dumpster fires at once that if you really cared, you could get compassion fatigue. And it doesn't mean that you're not super grateful for what you have. It doesn't mean that you're not like a minimalist.
Robin:And then sometimes I'll find myself doing things locally and I'm like this doesn't make a damn of a difference to anybody over there. You know what I'm saying. It really doesn't Like I could post all day long, but what makes a difference, you know? So you're at the seat of the source, of where it really is making a difference, and so I hear money, which is obviously helpful for medical. What makes a difference that someone locally can do to support the efforts? Now?
Francine:I think the biggest thing is awareness. You know, I talk to so many people on an ongoing basis and it's just bringing awareness that it doesn't stop. The bobbing doesn't stop there, it is every single day. And to know that. You know. Yes, nova Ukraine is one of the organizations that is supporting Ukraine. We're one of the top five, but there are other organizations that are there. Yeah, you got to work together and you have to work together.
Robin:Someone's going to have a different access point.
Francine:You do. Yeah, you know there are organizations that are there, you there, obviously, the hospitals. We can't open up a new hospital, so we go and we support them with whatever medical supplies or equipment, rehabilitation equipment. We're just starting to get into the trauma, and what is it that we could do to help the children that have experienced this incredible trauma, the adults, the men that serve, because trauma doesn't just go away. Right, you know, it kind of sticks with you, compounded for sure so it's. And because, like you said, we have been all desensitized to whatever is true or not true, we have become compassionless because we are so desensitized to some extent I mean a lot of it becomes a norm and it gets ignored.
Alexis:Yes, yes, and I think that is the greatest thing, I think, just for all of us, just to be aware has to be solved at, unfortunately, a nation-to-nation level and at the moment, I don't think we're doing anything to do that. That's my opinion. I mean, what we're doing is playing games as opposed to basically saying here's the problem, and you know, the Russians are intent on taking back everything they can get. But if they're told no, they'll back off. But it has to be a very firm, clear no, and I don't think anyone's doing that at the moment.
Francine:It's a really hard, difficult situation because it's not just like your average chessboard, right, it's really more like a mousetrap. You know, you put that little piece of cheese on that mousetrap to to encourage and to kind of get that little mouse to come and take a bite so you could smack it down, right. And I think that's where we're at almost. You know, nobody is doing because they don't know what to do and because they don't want to be thrown into the dirty, unfortunate war. And you've got strong powers, you've got Russia, china and now India partnering. So I wouldn't want the job.
Robin:It's a lot easier to be on the helping side, especially from afar. Yeah, no, it's intense.
Alexis:I keep going back to the things that people are mentioning as the way to solve. It Just makes me think of Nancy Reagan and how to solve the drug problem. Just say no, that's great, except it doesn't work. You know, they're like right, you could just stop. Well, yeah, but yeah.
Francine:And that's why I go back to awareness. You know, because it really is. You can't just say no, you have to bite into it. You know and really decide. You know these are human beings, these are children. One of our partners at Texas Children's had accepted a child from Ukraine who had shrapnel 80% of their body 80% of their body. This is a child, you know why?
Robin:You know why I mean, this stuff really makes me go crazy, you know, because it just shouldn't happen, isn't a solution with an foreseeable site. There isn't an agreeable peace currently and I wonder, as somebody who has been working for NOVA for how long now? Just a little over a year, okay, a little over a year, so it's an intense year to come on right, how would you suggest that you're able to leave some work at work, or you know, help with the burnout, or you know unplug a little? Like, how do you balance not being saturated? And maybe, if it's like, actually I don't at all, that's OK, that's OK, right, that's OK.
Robin:But like a lot of times in advocacy, and just as somebody personally, you know, I personally care about the care bears, right, and and it's like, how do we run the marathon, not the race? And sometimes we just need the race people, right, we just need those little dashes and that's what it is, and we're leaving it all on the court. But like, how, how is it that you're able to not be too saturated, given the givens?
Francine:I think, like we talked earlier, I think it has to do with the amazing relationships and the connections that I've built, having people to connect and hear stories and hear their stories and learn about them, and why they were driven to support Novi Ukraine and how their support has, you know, influenced so so many Rippled. Yeah, their unwavering support has done so much good and I think, always keeping in the back of my mind, that what their lives or have been covered in shrapnel Sure, I know that they're getting the support and help that they need, thanks to Nova, and I'm a part of that.
Robin:Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's really great. Thank you for highlighting that. Did you have anything to say, alexis?
Alexis:No, the only thing I was thinking about was I think it's very nice when you have some successes in the middle of things that just are not successes. I mean, I'm sorry, but wars are not successes. Yes, and you know, and when you can say, ok, we're succeeding at doing what we can do, plus some yes, that seems like a very fulfilling approach that can be taken.
Francine:Yeah, I mean, I don't know if I mentioned this. Maybe I did. If I did, I'm sorry Senior moment, but we've supplied over 160 million since 22 to Ukraine. We've helped over 11 million people. That's incredible. That's incredible. That's incredible and that gives me fulfillment, that gives me the sense of there is hope.
Robin:And it's in partnership with other people doing other work as well, and you know, it really highlights for me the difference between. You know, I keep going back to Harvey because it's a thing that people might be able to resonate with. Here there were lots of people immediately doing citizen to citizen support, and that wasn't always the case in natural disasters in the nation. You know, people were kind of like well, I'm sure the emergency responders will handle it right, but Houston was like nope, where there's a boat, there's a way. We're in the Bayou City, let's go, hey. Hey, you know, and we even had the Cajun.
Alexis:Navy come back.
Robin:And, oh God, it gives me goosebumps. They're like we're here to repay a favor, you know, from Katrina. We're 20 years out from that this week. So you know, like we're not new to this, we're true to this but it's something where you know it's going to be a short amount of time and then there's going to be a lot of wreckage that you have to manage afterwards, like you know. I don't mean to say that people aren't still dealing with the impact of these disasters, but it's not as acute, and when it's acute, citizen to citizen, we did a lot, you know.
Alexis:Well, and the big thing, though, is, if you look at Ukraine, that would be more of a chronic thing. I mean, it's gone long enough that it's definitely chronic.
Francine:And it's not as tangible because it's not at home. Right, right.
Robin:And it's not the same environment whatsoever, right Like, if you're in a city, you know a city, like a flood, is very different than a war zone, to be honest. And but I was just saying from when you were speaking, I remember the difference in harvey of the people who went out and did something versus the people who sat at home and didn't, and then they said, oh, I just have like like survivors, guilt, and they were saying's guilt like three days out you know what I'm saying? There's still things to volunteer, there's still plenty. You could turn this over, you could shift that energy, you could give back directly. And so what I hear and what you're saying is as much as everything is a disaster and, like Alexis pointed out, war. There's no solution, right Like there's no win right?
Alexis:I mean, somebody claims they win, but they don't.
Robin:There's things that can still be done, and so if you were trying to be aware, I guess I would go to NOVA's website. And then there are volunteer opportunities, even if you're in Houston. I mean, I did read that you're about to have a big fundraiser in September, which we're on the cusp of. But what would you suggest if people were like yeah, I am still passionate about this, I do want to make a difference and I just maybe was bogged down when it first started and now I have a little bit more bandwidth like what could they do with Nova to support?
Francine:So you know, if they would like to mentor, you know we have virtual English classes that are teaching teachers and children English, because that is some. You know, our kids here don't get naturally two languages when they are educated, but there it's very important so you can do something virtually very easily. Wow, you know, if you work for an organization that has a match program, you know all these big corporations have match gifts where you give 50, they match the 50. Okay, that's 100 bucks. Yeah, match gifts where you give 50, they match the 50. That's 100 bucks. So if your organization, your business, has a match program, which every single organization does, make us one of the beneficiaries of that, that's great. If you have a church, you belong to a church, a synagogue, whatever.
Robin:Yeah, Houston has a lot of churches and a lot of bars. So I don't want to hear anyone saying, oh, we don't got any churches, not on this podcast. Not when we're talking to churches like we need your help.
Francine:Like let's go.
Francine:Yeah, I mean there's mission projects within churches, adopt Nova Ukraine as part of their mission. Okay, you know, because we do get gift in kind and we ship it over. We ship over two to three 40-foot containers chock full of supplies. The containers with the supplies are about $330,000, $340,000 worth of supplies that go over times two or three every single month. That's what we're sending, wow. So if you are a doctor and have access to medical equipment, we're looking for portable X-ray machines and ultrasound machines, because there's a waiting line to get in the hospital. So they set up all these triage units that have no diagnostic equipment.
Robin:Yeah, and we are the medical center, like most places, are way more decorated than any other city in just your like average doctor space. So yeah, wow.
Francine:Anything like that. If you have a woman's group, you know we have women that are refugees in California that we support and we are providing them educational opportunities to what's the next step Right Now, what? So if you are, you know, a career-driven woman and like to be a coach, maybe that's something.
Francine:You know, so I think you have to be kind of think creatively too, because again, it's how many miles away the actual? Obviously your best support is fiscal, because then we could then bring it to the places that need that fiscal support Directly over there. Yeah, really make an impact. You know it's going to cost over a trillion dollars to rebuild. They have it as a guesstimate, right now Sure. Whenever that happens.
Robin:Sure sure.
Francine:So you know, if they have any questions, they're more than happy to contact me or look at the website because there's lots of opportunities there, especially if you're you know we are just new to the Houston area. Our team, our development team, I would love to come and have a conversation at your organization or at your church or you know wherever Wonderful I have a donor Quick fun story. Know wherever I have a donor Quick fun story? Sure, sure, I did a Northeast trip, okay, and I had little coffee like connections, and I invited whoever was there and these lovely people came lovely, lovely people and one gentleman, an elderly gentleman. I'm going to go and I'm going to. They have this big event in Massachusetts and it draws I don't know over 2,000 people and I'm going to set up a table and I'm going to raise money to get a bomb shelter.
Robin:Nice.
Francine:I said okay, Nice so maybe you have a run, you're in a marathon and you want to sponsor and get funds for Novy Ukraine via a marathon.
Robin:That's awesome, yeah. Online gamers like you don't even have to leave your living room Turn on your screens, get some packlers, get some cheerleaders. Things that we saw was amazing. Gamer just turned on and said something like pay me to play and and did a marathon and raised money for a um, lgbt youth, uh, shelter in need in the uk and I think they went for like three days like no sleep, oh my gosh you know. I mean you know, know your strengths, like you know, jump in anyway playing.
Alexis:Jump in. Know your strengths there, Like you know.
Robin:Jump in, that's what they do anyway, plain, jump in, know your strengths. There are people doing that without fundraising right.
Alexis:That's what I mean, yeah exactly.
Robin:So I just I appreciate you highlighting, just like, the different levels, because we can all do a little something. And I think that with conference season coming up and fundraiser season, if somebody were to pull up Nova Ukraine on their website and say like, okay, you don't like our org, check out this other org. You know, like you care about war. Okay, you know, like that is where some people's focus is right now. Right, and and and that's important. So, uh, wow, I'm just I. When you were able to come in here, I was just really like, yeah, it's so timely, but what the heck is there to do?
Francine:you know, and there's so much you know and it just takes one.
Alexis:You know it's better if they have something they'd like to do and just contact you and see if it'll help, because you know I mean people do and know about things that I don't care who you are. You can't think of all of them.
Robin:Yeah, exactly, yeah, exactly yeah.
Francine:There's no bad idea. Yeah, you know we have. There's people have GoFundMe pages for Nova Ukraine. You know they've decided that that's what they're going to do and they set a goal and they have a GoFundMe page. We're not all that connected.
Robin:I think if anything showed us that you know COVID did, but we're in a new world now and I appreciate you coming in and pointing this out and want to give space to anything else that you want to highlight.
Francine:Gosh, you know, I'm just, I love Houston. You know, obviously, coming down from New York, there's got to be a reason, sure, sure, sure. And I know Houston is very philanthropic.
Robin:Oh yeah.
Francine:And there are so many worthy charities that are out there, and all I'm saying is find one. Or find two that you feel passionate about, identify what that is, and then just hold on Because these charities and research them, you know go to Charity Navigator, go to Candid Research them, make sure they're valid, because there are some Right, you know.
Alexis:I mean one of the things when we were doing some of the stuff with Transgender Foundation of America that we've sort of I found humorous Because we are not a large charity but we're an old charity I mean, 1965 makes us fairly old and that is when IRS said oh well, you know you have to file as a large charity and I'm like we don't bring in that much money. But the average charity brings in less than $200. That's correct. And so you know, honestly and this isn't to put down new charities or anything else make sure that you get what you're going for with a charity, because if they bring in $200, there's very little they can do. Now, if they're just starting, okay I get it. Somebody has to do the first $100 or $200. But you know, when you get much beyond that and a few years in, you know, look at them and make sure they're actually doing some work.
Francine:Yeah, I mean you would do it if you were investing Right. You would research that investment right. You would see how that stock is going to do for you. A charity is the same. It has to be able to produce, it has to be transparent. It has to be able to validate that they are doing what they say they're doing.
Robin:It's a really good example.
Francine:And that's the one thing that I'd like to just leave with is identify who it is that you want to support, and support it wholeheartedly, but research, research research and you know, the first thing to look at is to go to the IRS website and make sure if they say they're a 501c3, they really are. And that they file a 990.
Alexis:Exactly, and you get to look at those 990s all you want.
Francine:Yeah Well, and go to sites like Charity Navigator or Candid, because they have everything on the organizations that you would like to know. So you don't have to research a lot if you go to those websites, because everything is visible.
Robin:It's important to have transparency and you want your money to reach and you want your time to reach. And if you're just a people passionate person like, get out there and see if you can volunteer, get out there and see if you can set up a call and just say, hey, I heard about this, I don't know where I could fit in, can we have like a 15-minute conversation to see Is there an event going on that I can look at? Is there a YouTube video or something that I can share with my friends? Like that really makes a huge difference. You feel a little bit more connected to it and it gets you out of your seat and into something good. And so just maybe look at your passions and see how your reach can continue. That for you and for others, Right, yeah.
Francine:Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. Yeah, yeah, because we are all passionate about something.
Robin:Oh yeah, houston's doing a huge like animal donation moment right now helping bark out, getting the animals, getting our shelters a little less decluttered and a little bit more loving homes for animals. October is such a fundraising season for any nonprofit and then you go right into the holidays. The cool thing is that it can also be very social right, like if you show up and meet somebody there, they have like something in common and you obviously care about this to some degree enough to show up, and so a lot of times people say well, how do I meet people? It's like, well, meet people where your passions are is a nice return on investment for yourself. It's a little bit more than just a swipe situation or a bio situation. You know if you're out there trying to meet new friends and whatnot, so keep taking care, no matter where you're listening from.
Alexis:But there's one thing that you know I got to ask, and this is what we've heard a few times, and that is, you know, you've all been around for a long time, et cetera. I'm going to, you know, start donating to one of the totally new places and because I think you know they'll remember who I am and you know, I think I can have more of an impact that way, et cetera. Well, you know, just comment.
Francine:Yeah, you know again, like you said, you have to be passionate about something, whether it's helping kids, helping homeless, you know, helping Ukraine, whatever you're passionate about, and find that hole. Helping Ukraine, whatever you're passionate about, and find that hole. And if you find a small charity that really is struggling, research them and make sure that you know at least 80% at least 80% is going to the program, because otherwise there are overhead expenses and you know, operational expenses people don't want to pay for, right? You know they want to touch that life and I think it's important. One of my jobs is to make sure that people that do give from their heart are thanked. You know, being grateful and thankful is a lost art.
Robin:That's a podcast girl. Are you thanking your volunteers or are they voluntold? That's a different episode, Exactly.
Francine:But, definitely.
Robin:Gratitude goes a lot further.
Francine:And since I've been a part of Nova Ukraine, that has been my goal to reconnect donors, reconnect people who at one point cared and ran away for whatever reason why. You know and have a conversation. What could we do better? What could I do differently? Because I care about you, your value to me, because you support something that's important. So gratitude is quintessential, you know.
Robin:Oh yeah and hey, if you want to pay overhead and staff fees, like there's nothing wrong with that because there's only so far volunteers can go. Like you know, volunteer orgs go a certain distance. They may go a different distance. So you know, pick the race you want to be in. But if there's going to be people that are there when the lights are still on all the way, to like turning off the lights at the end of the day, like that's a lot of hours, you have to have people managing stuff. So no knocks on that necessarily. But just like you said, if it was a stock you'd research where it was yielding. Some people are about the dividends.
Alexis:Some people are about just grow, you you know, and some people just want other people to manage that for them. That's okay, that's right, you know. So, yeah, well, and the lower the percent of your money that's going to the people or the reason for the charity, the more suspicious you should be exactly, I mean.
Francine:It doesn't mean you don't do it it just means look much harder at it.
Robin:I mean yeah that, yeah, that CEO is getting mad bank, like maybe consider switching it. Well, and all of that is on the 990.
Alexis:It's on the 990 for the whole bit.
Francine:If they are not putting out a 990, that should draw a red flag.
Robin:That's not good. That's not good.
Francine:That's a red flag. That's not good, should be transparent and they should be accountable.
Alexis:Absolutely. One of the things we were really proud of is that we guarantee that at least 90% of ours is going direct to what you're contributing it for. It usually runs about 95 to 98%.
Robin:Yeah, yeah. And I just have to say over and over again, like, if you're like a little scared or you're like I don't know where to get started or like whatever, like just reach out to the org, find the person that is very much like the person you're hearing right now, whoever represents that org, that's going to make that bridge for you. Because when you meet other people that like the same situation, even if it's like filling up books at the free library, little houses along the city, you know, if it's filling condom bags for people that are houseless and that is their only work, is sex work, is real work. You know what I'm saying. Like that's the thing that's going to keep them fed.
Robin:Like anything that you're out there doing with people is worth it, but it's like that moment where you get connected to the mission and other people. It enlivens you. It's like you did make a difference that day, because like'm just bringing it back to like they're eating toast and mayonnaise. They didn't have effective bomb shelters. They are still in a war. Like anything you can do is more than someone being numb to it and not waking up to it. So thank you for whatever your passion is. It may be Nova Ukraine, and it may just be like a new inquiry for yourself, which opens up a new chapter, and I'm for it. Yes, yeah.
Francine:I mean, you know the end of the year is coming. Yeah, we all think of what am I going to do. Yeah, so you know.
Robin:Or what did I do this year? Or what did I do, yeah, like, what was that New Year's resolution list? I don't know anymore, you know. But no, seriously, like we all have so much more privilege than we are present to. So I think I thank you. I thank you for re-presenting us to that today and giving us some real information on who's actually helping on the ground. And, you know, get out of the political conversations that are going nowhere. And, you know, get out of the political conversations that are going nowhere. Let them manage that and get into, like the helpers, the creators, the dreamers, the connecting people that are out there being of service.
Francine:So thank you for coming in Francine.
Robin:Thank you, I appreciate your time. Yeah, so one more time with your information, if people wanted to connect with you at NOVA.
Francine:My email is Francine F-R-A-N-C-I-N-E, dot Goundry, g-o-u-n-d-r-y at NovaUkraineorg, or you can call me 713-838-5269. I live in Pearland and I travel wherever I need to be to visit. Yeah, and look at our website. Just go to Nova Ukraine. There's tons of information, there's quarterly reports up there that that really show the impact that we're making.
Robin:It's so important. Any final thoughts?
Alexis:Not really. I think that was excellent. I mean, the big thing I would say is do something at least.
Robin:Yeah, yeah, I mean, if you like this podcast, you can subscribe, you can like, you can share, and actually sharing it with the next person does help. Nova Ukraine. And that's the beautiful thing, right Like we're here to keep conversations going. So thank you for supporting 22 Sides and supporting the people that are having the conversations that you want to hear. Yes, thank you so much, yeah.
Francine:Take care. It was such a pleasure to meet you both.
Alexis:Thank, you so much. Yeah, take care, it was such a pleasure to meet you both.
Robin:Thank you, and seeing your art, I was going to say wasn't it a horrible experience?
Alexis:No, it was great, darn, we blew it again. That was great.
Robin:We're going to have to work on it for Halloween.
