DALLAS — Olena Jacobs moved to the U.S. 12 years ago and recognized immediately a need. She, at first, struggled to get building owners to buy in on her vision for a Ukrainian embroidery shop.
She did the research and went to her home country for inspiration for the store. Years later, she is flourishing in a Dallas strip mall.
"I originally started this business to bring Ukrainian products to the world." said Jacobs.
Jacobs tells WFAA hers is the only purely Ukrainian store in all of Texas and surrounding states. Her Ukie Style Embroidery Art shop has become so much more since the war began.
People have been bringing in donations of emergency medical supplies for the last two weeks.
"It's not just something that is happening on the other side of the world. We are all Ukrainians right now," said Agnes Denvir.
Agnes Denvir, language teacher at St. Rita Catholic School, has been coming to the store often to lend her support for the shop. On Thursday, students at the school made 1,157 yellow and blue ribbons.
The ribbons will be sold at Jacobs' shop and the profits will go to the help on the ground in Ukraine.
"Everything matters. You can't sit by and let things happen," said one shopper moved by what's happening in Ukraine.
Over the last two weeks Jacobs and her staff have processed hundreds of orders for Ukrainian products. The demand is so strong lately she has over 100 back orders.
There are blue and yellow shirts and signs that show support for Ukraine. But there are also Ukrainian products like traditional dresses and tops that have also been in demand.
Non-Ukrainians buying authentically Ukrainian things.
"We have people coming in and getting like 10 shirts," said Jacobs.
When the shops closed in Ukraine and the products stopped arriving, Jacobs started making what she could. She has an embroidery machine in her store to help with the ornate traditional Ukie patterns.
The items she cannot easily make local Ukrainians took from their home shelves to be sold in the store.
"They brought it all to help us raise money," said Jacobs
Jacobs sadly realizes this flurry of activity is amplified by war.
Her shop is filled with volunteers on a daily basis to help organize donations.
Her shop is currently only taking emergency medical supplies and financial donations. The financial donations will go to help pay to transport the boxes of medical supplies.