About us

The Cross Border House is a
sanctuary for the Ukrainian
residents in which they can
reclaim their sense of
human dignity, hope and
optimism.

The Cross Border House offers a residential program for Ukrainians living in exile. We uphold as our model of service a high standard of holistic care and support. The Cross Border House evolved out of the Sichów Educational Foundation, located in southeastern Poland, in a historic manor home once owned by the Radziwiłł family, now owned by their grandson Stefan Dunin-Wąsowicz. The Foundation was established seven years ago as a center for religious workshops and cultural events.

At The Cross Border House, we ardently hold to the belief that basic provisions alone are not enough. To adequately provide each resident the opportunity for renewed clarity, it is imperative to create an atmosphere of complete acceptance. When there is access to free time and to both private and communal space, the resident can begin to consider a way forward in their life.

What
we offer:

  • Private living accommodation
  • Shoes and clothing, as needed
  • Nutritious meals
  • 24-hour access to a fully stocked commercial kitchen and pantry, including seasonal fresh produce from our garden
  • Access to Medical/Dental Care
  • Assistance with specific documentation required by the government
  • Facilitating translation
  • Paid employment on the property when available
  • Educational coordination for all the children, and for our more vulnerable children, assistance in enrollment in special schools and transportation
  • Paying for school supplies and lunches
  • In-house Polish lessons
  • Sewing Center available to all adults with access to machines and materials
  • Art room and materials to foster creativity and express as well as a studio space for the professional artists in residence
  • Field Trips
  • The use of a private outdoor woodland and play park where the children are safe and protected

One of the unexpected surprises from living together over the past six months is the awareness that we have become a new community which leans one on the other for support, friendship and counsel. We celebrate our birthdays as a family, we learn from each other, we cook together, and we commiserate each other’s losses. Since the start of the war, The Cross Border House has sheltered between thirty-five and forty-two residents and at present maintains a household of forty.

The Cross Border House is a sanctuary for Ukrainian residents in which they can reclaim their sense of human dignity, hope and optimism.