Justin Lew – Volunteered his hands-on support to the people of Ukraine

After graduating from Baldwin Wallace and earning his master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Justin Lew ’21 was feeling a bit burnt out and looking to take a break from academics. 

Though he always loved the idea of volunteering, he never imagined it would take him to Poland for eight months to renovate homes, distribute food, and teach English to displaced Ukrainians.

Finding a calling in volunteerism

As an undergrad, Justin got a lot of satisfaction out of participating in chapter philanthropy as a day volunteer. He really enjoyed the idea of using his hands and mind to help others, and he wanted that legacy to continue.

Justin said, “I volunteered in smaller ways for day projects, but I had never done a long term volunteer program. I mentioned to a few friends that I was looking to do volunteer work, and researched some different organizations.”

He found his way to All Hands and Hearts, a relief organization dedicated to provide aid for those primarily affected by natural disasters. 

Helping displaced Ukrainians in Poland

Weighing his options, Justin said, “I had it in my head that I wanted to help the people in Ukraine.” Coincidentally, he found a mission located in Kraków, Poland called the Ukraine Disaster Relief Program saying, “It caught my attention because it was directed toward a humanitarian crisis.”

He said, “Having Polish and Jewish roots, I had family members who experienced some pretty horrific things in the last 100 years. I saw similarities to what was happening in Ukraine, so I felt an extra incentive to help.”

He made up his mind to sign up for the humanitarian mission, and intended to work for about a month, then do some traveling in Europe. But he wound up volunteering much longer.

Joining an international support group 

Justin joined volunteers from all over the world who were donating their time and efforts to provide housing, distribute supplies, and facilitate educational programs for Ukrainians in Poland fleeing the war.

Gradually, he began bonding with some of the volunteers from other countries. In spite of language barriers, they found ways to communicate through shared knowledge and interests. He said, “I was able to learn a lot from the other volunteers who lived in other parts of the world and how their societies and cultures are structured differently than ours. But we all shared a purpose. We were there to help.”

When he found volunteers playing chess, he threw his king into the ring. Justin wound up challenging one of the better players who initially refused to play him, but eventually agreed to some high stakes terms. If Justin’s opponent lost, he would pay half of his airfare home, but if he won, Justin would stay for two more months. 

Justin lost the match, and true to his word he stayed even longer saying, “It was just such an impactful and insightful experience, I wanted to stay longer.” He wound up doubling down and staying in Poland for eight months until the program closed.

Becoming a plaster “maestro” and getting to know the Ukrainian people

Except for his Pilam volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity, Justin had limited experience in construction saying, “Basically, I could swing a hammer.” But he learned skills on the job and built confidence in his hands-on abilities. 

Through home renovations, Justin got proficient at plaster work. He knew he had a knack for it when his typically stoic German supervisor watched him work, then nodded his head approvingly and said, “Maestro!” 

In addition to working on housing, Justin also helped at a distribution center providing food, clothing, and toiletries to Ukrainians living in Kraków, where he was able to better connect with Ukrainian refugees. 

He said, “I had been learning the Polish language and it helped me communicate with some of the Ukrainian workers who did not speak English comfortably. When we began saying simple phrases we learned in Ukrainian, their faces lit up with excitement at our attempt to speak their language.”

He found a closer connection to the Ukrainian people as a facilitator of “English Clubs” where the volunteers provided a space for them to interact and practice speaking English. He said, “they opened up and would talk about their experiences, sharing things with us about Ukraine and their lives before the war. It was very moving and insightful.”

The Creed influenced his choices

Justin said of the influence of Pi Lambda Phi, “I feel that eliminating prejudice was deeply tied into everything I did. On a larger scale, we were helping displaced Ukrainian people who had to leave their country because of an invasion intended to (at least, as I see it) commit genocide against the Ukrainian people.”

“On a smaller scale, through interacting with others in a multicultural setting, I sought to help break stereotypes some people around the world hold about America and Americans.”

Justin said, “I got a boatload of things out of the experience, seeing the people we were helping, and working with international volunteers. I learned about other cultures and how to communicate with people from all over the world.”