By: Camryn Johnson
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – In the seven weeks since February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has continued to impact citizens of the country. As millions of Ukrainian residents flee their homeland, food insecurity has become a threat not seen since the likes of World War I and II.
As a result, the Northwest Arkansas community is coming together to provide relief to Ukrainian refugees. Despite nearly 6,000 miles separating Fayetteville and Ukraine, Josh Foliart is taking on a project unlike any he has ever conducted to help out.
Foliart is the CEO and founder of MULTIPLi Global, an organization created to “mobilize leaders and resources.” Driven by his faith as well as his role as a parent, he felt he needed to do his part to help refugees in need. To do so, Foliart came up with the idea to prepare and send thousands of meals to affected Ukrainians.
However, he could not do it alone. Faced with a daunting challenge, Foliart reached out to his team for help.
“I was frightened to death to take on a project this large,” he said. “But I think we were supposed to.”
Partnering with Lifeline Christian Mission, Foliart and his team have organized a one-day packing event to ship more than 285,000 meals to Ukraine and bordering nations – a number that could provide around 1,000 families with three meals a day for three months. The event has quickly gained support.
“We set out on a goal of raising $50,000. Well, long story short, that goal was met within 48 hours,” Foliart said.
With how quickly the team reached its original target, the goal was raised to $75,000 – a figure that was also rapidly surpassed. Foliart largely credits the project’s success thus far to what he describes as a “divine tailwind.”
The large-scale packing event is scheduled for June 4 at the Boys and Girls Club of Fayetteville. Foliart says they are seeking more than 1,000 volunteers to help out throughout the day and that they have already received strong support from Arkansas Razorback Athletics. The day will feature music as well as food trucks for those participating to enjoy.
“We’re hoping to hit that goal [of 1,000 volunteers]. We’ve already got the finances there. We just need hands and we need people.”
For more information on donations, visit lifeline.org. To register for the event, click here.