Keystone Moldova’s Mobile Teams Provide Essential Support for Refugees with Disabilities
The News
Keystone Moldova English and Keystone Moldova Romanian
Keystone Human Services (KHS) is a non-profit organization that is a part of a global movement to provide support and expertise to people with disabilities.
To learn more about our work supporting refugees, visit Our Support for Ukraine.
On May 11, Charles Hooker, President and CEO of Keystone Human Services, joined WITF’s Scott LaMar on Smart Talk to share Keystone Moldova’s work supporting refugees with disabilities from Ukraine. You can listen to the full program online.
Keystone Moldova has taken the lead in inclusive relief efforts in Moldova. “Most refugees are staying in people’s homes, and it’s a challenge to identify people with disability in this situation,” said Hooker. “We put together Mobile Teams to map the needs of people with disability throughout Moldova.”
These Mobile Teams are providing essential support for people with disability, whether their time in Moldova is brief or more permanent.
“This is the second time we are running away from the war,” said one mother. “This time, we decided not to return to Ukraine. We have nowhere to return to. Everything we had was destroyed.”
Her daughter, who has a disability, turned 18 once she was in Moldova, and the social worker from the Mobile Team helped the family navigate the required paperwork for her to receive services in Moldova.
Keystone Moldova also helped connect the family with community social services and provided food and hygiene products.
In addition to the Mobile Teams, Keystone Moldova restructured our hotline support service so it’s available in three languages—Romanian, Russian, and now Ukrainian, said Hooker.
The hotline support service provides information, counseling, and referrals to services for people with disability and their families. It’s helping to connect people with food, hygienic supplies, urgent medicines, medical professionals, and accessible transportation so they can safely continue on to their next destination.
The most urgent need is still unrestricted funds. People’s needs are constantly changing, and your donations give Keystone Moldova the flexibility to provide what people need in the moment, which also considering what they will need in the future. Donate and make an impact today.