COLUMBIANA, Ohio - Rounding up donations for Ukrainian refugees is becoming a county-wide cause across Columbiana County, where a local organization and students in three districts are preparing donations.

"I think it is amazing that we, in such a small town as Leetonia, we're helping out," Maddie Holisky said, a junior at Leetonia Exempted Village High School.

The Leetonia High broadcast class started a competition donation drive with students from Crestview Local and Columbiana Exempted Village schools.

The items will be dropped off at a site in North Carolina on Wednesday morning, where the items will travel on a shipping container to a program called Gleaning for the World.

Students will be accepting donations through the school day on Wednesday.

"When you leave with nothing, you have to have something, a coat, hat, scarves, we've got four boxes of scarves here," Bob Vaia said, instructor at Leetonia high school.

Vaia is planning to drive the donations gathered by local students and businesses Tuesday night.

"They are taking donations off the ship and they are getting them into the hands of the aid workers," he said.

State leaders expect an influx of Ukrainian refugees to resettle here in Northeast Ohio in the next few weeks or few months.

Since 2018, more than 500 Ukrainians resettled in Ohio.

The Way Station in Columbiana will used donations from clothing and household items like dishes, bedding and clothing to help any Ukrainian families in the valley that need support.

"We want to make sure that we have enough supply on hand at all three of our locations for when or if any refugees settle in this area," Chaney Nezbeth said, executive director of the organization.

With each purchase or donation, the Way Station in Columbiana will use 100-percent of the proceeds to support The Way Station's mission. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides resources for individuals and families in need of emergency assistance.

It also is called upon by agencies like the Red Cross to help displaced families.

The organization gives away free emergency kits with household supplies, bedding and food. Ukrainian refugees would be offered those same kits if needed.

The Mahoning Valley Red Cross says donating money is the easiest way to reach the volunteer efforts. The global red cross network is delivering food, supplies and first aid in countries including Poland and Hungary.

The Mahoning Valley Red Cross provided this statement:

"For its part, the American Red Cross has deployed international crisis responders to Poland, Moldova, Hungary and Romania to provide humanitarian relief in support of the international Red Cross operation helping families who fled their homes. These highly trained crisis responders—who are lending skills such as information management, GIS systems, cash relief, communications, and leadership—are supporting on-the-ground relief efforts alongside local teams, including the Polish Red Cross, Moldovan Red Cross and Romanian Red Cross. 

Additionally, in line with its work supporting military families, the American Red Cross has sent trained staff to Europe to support emergency communication needs of U.S. military members, so they can stay in touch with family members back home. The Red Cross Hero Care Network is a Congressionally-chartered program that connects service members and their families in times of need. Red Crossers are also distributing comfort kits, containing hygiene items and other necessities to service members and U.S. State Department staff."