WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Anastasia Sliepova’s life changed on February  24, 2022. She just didn’t realize it at the time. That’s the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

Now this mother of two finds herself with her family in North Carolina, thousands of miles away.

“I miss my home so much, but I can’t go back because it’s war,” says Sliepova. “It hurts.”

On this sunny weekend morning, Anastasia and her two sons are at Kure Beach, smiling for the camera.   Those photos will become mementos documenting her new life and sending them to loved ones reassures them that life is ok.

Retake is a local non-profit that offers free photos to people whose lives have changed.  People who’ve lost homes to disasters; people who find themselves refugees, immigrants, or asylum seekers.

” Every time there’s something I hear that makes me tear up! Somebody’s gone through something that we’re just going to be able to offer a good positive memory and something that’s going to be cherished moving forward” says Danielle Desnoyers, who’s the director and the photographer behind the camera on this day. ” You never know what people are going through.  Having a little empathy and just doing something kind for people is just, bottom line, the base we can be doing as humans!”

As per Retake’s website:

“Retake and all affiliated volunteers, staff, and board members understand that some of the recipients we offer our services to are vulnerable people who may have been in precarious situations. We abide by the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, and anyone at-risk and are committed to safeguarding practices that comply with best practice requirements.”

“For someone who’s lost everything; it’s a start,” says Desnoyers. “It’s a way to help make a connection and give someone something they can hold and cherish.”

To learn more about Retake, it’s mission statement and volunteer opportunities, click here.

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