iBelieve & Nadiya's Story

We do so much in our backyard and in our communities. But this was bigger than us. It was the right thing to do for humanity! Lending a helping hand and being compassionate; making a difference in someone's life. We strive for this in our company and our home. You know, being a Subaru retailer is a great honor for me. Living the Love Promise is even bigger. We can make the money; we can break records and hit goals, but when we move on in this life, I think the bigger question is 'did we make a difference in this world or in someone's life?' I can honestly say, we sure did!

Everything from the families we have flown to safety, to the truck load of yeast sent to Odessa, Ukraine. Even donating $25,000 to the iBelieve Church so they could buy a van to bring supplies into Ukraine and transport Ukrainians to safety … that was a big one!

Nadiya and her family was even bigger. We met them in April of 2022 and talked on WhatsApp to learn more about them and how they were struggling; losing everything they once had. They lost a business and a home; they now have properties that are now worth nothing.

In August of 2022, after we donated $25,000 to iBelieve Church, we decided to travel to Romania and witness first-hand the impact we were making. First, we sat with Nadiya and her family in our Bucharest home for the very first time since speaking on WhatsApp. We spent time discussing our plans for moving them to the US. They were so emotional and so thankful and could not believe we were doing all this for them. After this we drove 8 hours to the border of Ukraine where we met our friends at iBelieve Church. They showed us the store filled with clothing and the van our donations had bought for them. During our tour, they asked if I would be interested in traveling to Ukraine to pick up refugees. I don't think Silvia was very keen on the idea, but I love a good adventure and I wanted to see first-hand the work they were doing. This trip was super emotional for me, and I got the chance to meet some children who had had lost their parents in the bombings during the war. I knew at this moment that everything we were doing was making a huge, positive impact on these peoples' lives.

We Nadiya and her family to our home in Bucharest, Romania in April where they lived until September of 2022. Silvia and I hired an attorney to help us with the Visa and application process - a five-thousand-dollar cost. Nadiya was very grateful and excited to move her family and start a new life. The entire time we were working hard here at home to secure a home for them and stocking it with food for their arrival and bringing furnishings for them so they could move right in. I can tell you When Nadiya arrived in Newark, even though it was a long trip, she and her family were so happy. I will never forget their reactions and the thankfulness they showed.

When we got to the Subaru store with them, we had a Subaru Outback ready and waiting for them and I can tell you Nadiya did not cry for the picture, but she sure did after! She was so thankful, and I think she was in shock. She always asks why we did this... I just say 'it's what we do!'

Now they're here living in US and getting into somewhat of a routine. Her 3 boys are going to school In Selinsgrove PA, her husband, Sergei, has opened his own construction business and Nadiya is working hard every day trying to raise money for her Country. She is here to stay and is so grateful. We have invested more than $50,000 in Nadiya and her family. Altogether we have more than $100,000 invested in everything we have done to help these families and the iBelieve Church - and I can't think of a better investment than helping families better their lives.

-Andy Long, W&L Subaru Owner/Dealer Principal