This Saturday, St. Michael The Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church is hosting a fundraiser with all proceeds supporting local families who have immigrated from Ukraine within the last three months. Artist, poet and church member Judith Popiel is donating her sunflower paintings to the cause.

“I don’t have a million dollars, but I have my paintings,” Popiel says.

The fundraiser will provide families with grocery cards through KEYS Employment and Newcomer Services.

“There’s many women with young children here who have arrived in the last three months…the government gives each family $3,000, and that’s all the money they will receive. Some organizations are giving housing for 6 months…most of them don’t speak English so they’re learning English…Imagine someone saying to you ‘Pack a suitcase and off you go because that’s what you have to do,'" says Popiel.

St. Michael The Archangel is playing a very important in welcoming the new families, Popiel adds.

"The church is the place where people gather and create community, it’s a support structure…they receive help from the various parishioners,” says Popiel.

Popiel’s Sunflower paintings are available for $20 each, while a dozen frozen perogies are $10.

The fundraiser runs Saturday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Listen to the CFRC story below: