SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Matthew Adams has spent the past several months in Poland assisting refugees pouring across the border from Ukraine.

"These people are leaving their state with zippo, admittedly nothing," he said.

Adams is a Centre Eastern history professor who knows a lot most Ukraine, and some of that is probably considering his wife and in-laws are Ukrainian.

In March, Adams flew to Poland to assist his mother- and father-in-law — who had made information technology to Poland from their dwelling house in Eastern Ukraine — in making the final step in the journey to their daughter's home in Savannah.

Simply Adams says afterward helping his in-laws, he decided he should stay in Poland.

"I decided I was going to stay over there because I had other friends I wanted to go out," he told us.

Adams told united states of america about two friends, 1 of whom had a terminally ill mother. The friend was able to leave but Adams says only later on his urging and her parents.

"I said to her that she couldn't just die at that place or be raped," said Adams. "The Russians are raping so many women and it is icky. We're helping rape victims in Poland and there are and so many you have no idea."

Adams said she died in Ukraine merely one 24-hour interval before he and his friends could find an ambulance to endeavor and rescue the sick woman.

He too told WSAV that in recent days, his system rescued several sick children with cancer. In addition to vans, Adams said the group needs a "bulletproof" ambulance to assist all those who demand ship.

Another friend indicated she had had 12 people she knew killed by the Russians. "All civilians, it's horrible," said Adams.

Other friends told Adams that family unit homes, schools and neighborhoods in Ukraine had been leveled.

Adams said with assist from yet another friend in Poland, he created a nonprofit where donations tin can be made to assistance refugees — peculiarly children.

He said afterward trying to help friends in Ukraine, he and others turned to try to help the daily onslaught of refugees arriving in Poland.

"At that place were a lot of people, a lot of women and children, and we were going to the train station and buying food and helping those we could find a identify to stay.

And then Adams heard nearly children in dire need at a makeshift orphanage almost the Ukraine border with Romania.

"And we've made it our mission to assistance these 41 orphans and we've sent them medical supplies, we've sent them food. Today I sent them $one,000 worth of nutrient," he said. "But then at the same time, we're going to help rebuild that orphanage, and that's why we created this festival."

On May 5, the Tybee Isle Art Festival for Ukrainian Children volition take place from three to viii p.thousand. at North Embankment Bar and Grill. The festival will feature local artists, music, dance performances, Ukrainian-inspired nutrient, drinks and a silent sale.

The proceeds of the outcome, including 25% of all sales at the eatery on May v, will go to Adams' nonprofit, Smoothen American Children's Relief Fund for Ukraine.

Adams, who is besides an artist, said he will donate upwardly to a dozen paintings.

"Every final slice of art that I own will be for sale, and every last dime that I become for it I will donate," he said, calculation that he'south trying to do whatever he can to assist salve children in Ukraine because they are the future.

Adams showed the states a book he had written near American relief efforts in Poland afterwards Earth War I. Now, he is not only following the written map he wrote but living the reality of war.

"State of war is hell," he said. "It would be difficult to imagine that most Americans could understand the loss of what is happening to these refugees unless they could run across information technology for themselves."