Ukrainian Family Experiences the Generosity of Strangers in Inspiring Documentary

'One Good Reason,' is a powerful and inspiring documentary from Emmy Award-winning directors Perri Peltz and Matthew O'Neill, produced by Tribeca Studios in partnership with ServiceNow. It follows the journey of a Ukrainian family with two young children as they flee the war in their home country, the generosity of an American couple in rural Wisconsin - complete strangers - who offer to be their sponsors and the special bond they create together. 

The film shines a spotlight on the first-of-its-kind online platform created by Welcome.US, which empowers Americans to connect with people seeking refuge in the United States through the government’s humanitarian programs, which require the support of a sponsor. The 25-minute film tells the story of the Hnatiuk family as they make the difficult decision to leave Ukraine and begin a new life in rural Wisconsin with their sponsors, Bryce and Maxine Luchterhand. As the Hnatiuks adjust to life in Unity, Wisconsin - a small town of 384 people - and worry about the fate of their relatives who remain in Ukraine, they also find connection and community with the Luchterhands, from making borscht the Wisconsin way (with cheese!) to tapping maple trees for syrup.

'One Good Reason' is produced by Tribeca Studios in partnership with ServiceNow, a technology company that endeavours to help make the world work better. ServiceNow is the platform on which Welcome.US built Welcome Connect, an easy-to-use to connection platform where displaced persons seeking refuge in the United States can safely find and message potential sponsors in their native language and make informed decisions about their future.

This poignant story serves to raise the profile of Welcome Connect and the opportunity for Americans to provide a lifeline for people forced to flee their home countries by serving as sponsors. There are currently over 16,000* displaced persons registered on this online platform created by Welcome.US and powered by ServiceNow, waiting to connect with an American sponsor (*data as of May 1st, 2023).