RALEIGH, N.C. — As people across the world prepare to celebrate Christmas, Ukraine has surpassed 300 days since Russia invaded their country, causing violence, death and destruction.

What You Need To Know

  • Welcome House, a statewide nonprofit, has helped more than 600 refugees find temporary housing and resources in North Carolina

  • James Tatum and fellow musicians organized an event called Charitable Coffee and Carols to raise money for Welcome House

  • Two roommates, one from Ukraine, the other from Afghanistan, say Welcome House helped them escape violence in their home countries

Since the fighting began in February, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge around the world. Dozens of families have found safety in North Carolina.

Welcome House, a nonprofit in our state, has been working to provide temporary housing, food, clothing and resources to those who have lost everything.

James Tatum and other musicians in Raleigh came together to raise money for Welcome House by playing live music at Sola Coffee in Raleigh.

The group played Christmas classics for several hours the week of Christmas to help raise awareness for the nonprofit.

Marc and Kim Wyatt founded Welcome House in 2015. Marc Wyatt says their organization works closely with local refugee agencies to welcome their clients as in 50 locations cross North Carolina.

“It just means so much to see people’s light come back on, you know. To see hope restored. It’s just a simple thing,” Wyatt said. “I think welcoming and being neighborly is really a powerful thing in the world.”

Welcome House Raleigh helped refugees like Andrii and Mousa, who are now roommates in Raleigh.

For their safety and that of their family members, Spectrum News 1 is not identifying them by their last names.

Andrii escaped Ukraine three weeks after Russia invaded. He recalled hearing the missiles strike near his hometown of Odessa.

“When the full-scale war started and it was very dangerous to stay in Ukraine,” Andrii said. “The city I lived in, Odessa, we heard some rockets or rocket explosions. And thanks to our anti-missile units, we were safe. But still it was very, very frightening.”

The attack led Andrii to a five-month journey to seek safety, but he left behind his mother, who told him to go but refused to leave herself.

“It was not a very easy decision for us, and my mom couldn't leave. She is still there because she has a sister who is 85 years old and she just refused to leave,” Andrii said.

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Mousa experienced a similar situation when he escaped Afghanistan after its government collapsed.

“I felt sad inside,” Mousa said. “[What] we had there was destroyed. And I [was] far from family, friends and, and you start here, you know, for guys like me, I think it is my age is harder to start over everything.”

Mousa’s parents, siblings and relatives managed to escape and are living in another country outside of Afghanistan.

Mousa waited in a refugee camp for a year before a three-month journey led him to the United States and Welcome House. He said finding shelter without relatives or financial capabilities was incredibly difficult.

“My feeling was that they are doing [it in] the way that make you feel you are at home. You know, it's really appreciated," Mousa said. "Thank you, Welcome House.”

Mousa and Andrii found help and guidance after being guests at Welcome House.

Welcome House is a collaborative partnership between the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina and refugee agencies and partner churches.

If you’d like to learn more about the nonprofit, donate or volunteer, click here.