INDEPENDENT AND THOUGHTFUL.

>> Frederica: REPORTING FROM MADISON, FOR "HERE & NOW".

>> Frederica: UKRAINE HAS BEEN INVADED FORCING MANY TO ABANDON THEIR HOMES AND WE HAVE A STORY HOW UKRAINIAN REFUGEES IN WISCONSIN AND GROUPS HELPING THEM ARE HELPING THEM OVERCOME CHALLENGE.

>> WE WENT TO BED AT 4:30, 5:00.

WE HEARD AN INCREDIBLE EXPLOSION.

>> ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE INVASION LAST FEBRUARY, PETER POROSHKOV AND HIS WIFE WERE SHAKEN.

>> IT STARTED BUMPING.

>> WITH RUSSIAN TROOPS CLOSING IN ON THEIR HOME NE -- KIEV THE DECIDED TO TAKE THEIR DAUGHTERS AND LEAVE UKRAINE AND LEAVE.

>> WE HAD TO LEAVE.

IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAD TO LEAVE OUR DOG.

WE HAVE A GERMAN SHEPHERD.

>> EVEN AS WAR ERUPTED AROUND THEM KSENIA REMEMBERS BEING IN DISBELIEF.

>> FROM ONE POINT YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT THEN YOU'RE RACING TO DO SOMETHING.

>> TRAVELLING THROUGH ROMANIA AND POLAND THEN FURTHER INTO EUROPE TOOK THE SOKOR FAMILY OF FIVE ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THEY EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO MEXICO.

AFTER CROSSING THE BORDER THEY WERE INVITED TO STAY WITH A FAMILY HERE IN WISCONSIN.

EVENTUALLY SECURING THEIR OWN APARTMENT IN STOUGHTON THE STORY OF TRAVEL AND UNCERTAIN DEGREE DESTINATIONS.

>> THEY HAD TOO LEARN A NEW LACK WATH.

FOR RECENT REFUGEES LIKE THE POROSHKOV FAMILY OF FOUR MANY GROUPS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO HELP.

>> WE HAVE ENGLISH CLASSES ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS IN THE EVENING AND HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS AND DIFFERENT TEACHERS WHO WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING BUT THEY ARE FRIENDLY AND EXPLAIN A LOT.

>> ONE OF THE GROUPS HELPING THE REFUGEES IS THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THEY HELPED ALMOST A DOZEN UKRAINIAN FAMILIES WHO MOVED TO THE AREA IN THE LAST YEAR.

THE VOLUNTEERS HELP HE REFUGEES APPLY FOR JOBS SOCIAL SECURITY JOBS AND DRIVER'S LICENSES AND HEALTH CARE.

>> IT'S BECOME VERY OVERWHELMING AT TIMES BUT THE PAYOFF IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE NOW WHO WE CONSIDER FAMILY.

>> BECAUSE MANY OF THE REFUGEE FAMILIES CAME HERE WITH NOTHING, THEY ALSO RELY ON OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS FOOD PANTRIES AND CLOTHING BANKS BUT THE FAMILIES STILL STRUGGLE WITH THE EMOTIONAL STRESS OF LEAVING LOVED ONES IN THEIR WAR-TORN HOMELAND.

>> I CAN'T SLEEP.

I HAVE BAD DREAMS ABOUT MY FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR.

>> WE DID NOT EXPECT IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE YOUNGEST BECAUSE FOR YOUNG KIDS IT'S MORE SIMPLE TO GET ACCUSTOM.

BUT SHE WAS CRYING A LOT AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR US TOO.

>> HE STAYS UP LATE AT NIGHT TO TALK WITH HIS BROTHER AND FATHER STILL IN UKRAINE.

ASIDE FROM THE THREAT OF WAR AND VIOLENCE THEY TELL HIM THEIR GAS AND ELECTRICITY IS OFTEN NOT WORKING.

>> IT'S NOT EASY TO LIVE THERE RIGHT NOW.

IT'S SAD.

>> ANOTHER HURDLE FOR REFUGEES TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IS A WORK PERMIT.

NATALIA FOUND A WORK AT A LOCAL FLORAL SHOP AND IT HAPPENED QUICKLY BUT FOR OTHERS LIKE PETER SOKOR THERE COULD BE COMPLICATION.

>> WHILE WAITING FOR THE WORK AUTHORIZATION I DECIDED TO TAKE COURSES FOR PROGRAMMING ON THE SECOND SEMESTER NOW STUDYING.

AND IT'S HARD.

BUT NOW I ALSO STARTED GETTING PRIVATE LESSONS AS A PIANIST.

>> WE'RE HELPING WITH EXPENSES FOR THEIR FAMILIES UNTIL THEY GET ON THEIR FEET BECAUSE THEY COME WITH NOTHING.

>> DONATIONS HAVE ALL BUT DRIED UP.

>> WE HAD TO STOP SPONSORING NEW FAMILIES FROM UKRAINE WHICH WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE BECAUSE WE HAVE FAMILIES HERE WHO ARE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE SPONSORED AND BROUGHT OVER BUT WE REALLY CAN'T SPONSOR MORE PEOPLE UNTIL WE RECEIVE MORE DONATIONS.

THERE IS SOMETHING THEY CALL GIVING FATIGUE WHERE IT JUST BECOMES A LOT.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE DONATED SO MUCH ANYTHING THEY ALREADY COULD AND I THINK THE WAR HAS GONE ON FOR A YEAR NOW AND SO AS IT CONTINUES I THINK PEOPLE ARE LESS AND LESS ABLE TO HELP.

>> DESPITE THEIR CURRENT FINANCIAL STRUGGLES, THE RESETTLEMENT GROUP KNOWS THEIR EFFORTS ARE WORTH IT TO THE FAMILIES.

>> THEY'RE AMAZING FAMILIES WE HAVE HERE.

THE KIDS, THE PARENTS THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ALL WALKS OF LIFE BUT IN THE ENDS THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE WHO WANT A SAFE PLACE TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY AND TO EXIST AND TO THRIVE.

>> AND THE FAMILIES RECEIVING THE HELP SAY THEY'RE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

>> THIS GROUP IS INCREDIBLE FOR US.

I WOULD SAY THIS IS JUST HOW WE MET THEM.

THEY HELPED US TO RENT THIS APARTMENT AND WHEN WE CAME THEY JUST PREPARED EVERYTHING FOR THE GIRLS ESPECIALLY.

THEY'RE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE.

IT'S WHY WE'RE SO IMPRESSED BY AMERICANS.

>> FOR "HERE & NOW" I'M STEVEN POTTER IN STOUGHTON.

>> Frederica: FOR THIS AND OTHER