STOUGHTON, Wis (WLAX/WEUX) – Ukrainians living in Wisconsin are still getting used to their new homes after they fled during Russia’s invasion last year. The Stoughton Resettlement Assistance Program held a special dinner Saturday night to raise money for their new community members’ needs like money for rent, food and health care.

Organizer Dayna Verstegen says 51 Ukrainians now call Stoughton home. The community put together an authentic dinner to get to know them and help where they can. Verstegen explains, “They’ve left behind family, friends, pets and it remains a really really difficult situation for them with no signs of being able to go home and be reunited with their families.”

Verstegen says they raised $3500 at the dinner, adding, it was an opportunity to hear directly from Ukrainians whose loved ones are still at war fighting for their country.