Flood 2024 - Poland needs support

This summer, our volunteer Sebastian brought more than furniture to flood-affected families in Poland’s Klodzko Valley — he brought back the feeling of home. From a 74-year-old woman finally sitting in her own living room again, to children sleeping in freshly cleaned beds, each delivery was a step toward recovery. With your support, hope is returning, one home at a time.

Hope Returns to the Klodzko Valley

When the waters finally receded in the Klodzko Valley, they left behind more than damaged walls and muddy floors. They left months of uncertainty, exhaustion, and a quiet question in the hearts of those affected: Will life ever feel normal again?

For a 74-year-old woman in one of the villages, that question had no easy answer. Since September last year, she had been living away from her home while repairs were underway. The walls were patched, the floors renewed, but when she finally stepped back inside, she found herself in empty rooms. No sofa to rest on. No table for her morning tea. No cabinet to hold her papers and memories.

On July 19, Sebastian – one of our most dedicated volunteers – made the long journey by train to visit her. They spoke, they laughed, and together they chose a sofa, a coffee table, and a storage cabinet. “She picked everything herself,” Sebastian recalls with a smile. The next day, the furniture arrived, and for the first time in almost a year, she could sit in her own living room, sip tea, and feel at home again.

But there were many more homes waiting for comfort.

On August 2, Sebastian set off again – this time for a much bigger mission. He loaded his van with:

• 13 beds and mattresses (each mattress washed and cleaned by Sebastian himself),
• 24 interior doors,
• 3 shower cabins,
• bags of children’s and mothers’ clothing, washed and sorted with care.

The deliveries reached families in different corners of the valley:

• 5 beds went to a family struggling to make ends meet,
• 7 to an agrotourism business fighting to reopen,
• 1 to an elderly woman living alone.

Most of the doors found their new homes at the LUK center in Bystrzyca Klodzka, while one shower cabin brought comfort to a family still rebuilding.

By the time Sebastian returned home in the early hours of August 3, it was long past midnight. The journey had been exhausting, but he knew that in the morning, children would wake up in clean, comfortable beds. Families would close new doors in their homes. Someone would take their first hot shower in months.

And yet, the work is not done. Five more beds are still needed to meet the urgent requests from families in the area.

Recovery after a disaster is never just about rebuilding walls. It is about restoring dignity, comfort, and the feeling that life can be beautiful again. Thanks to your generosity, Sebastian has been able to bring these moments of hope to the Klodzko Valley.

From a sofa in a quiet living room to a clean bed in a child’s room, your support is turning donations into stories of resilience.

Thank you for being part of this journey – and for reminding these communities that they are not alone.

Sebastian Returns to Help Flood Victims – For the 16th Time

Sebastian is back in southern Poland—and this isn’t his second or even fifth time helping flood victims. It’s his sixteenth journey,together with the help of PAY IT FORWARD Foundation, to support people affected by devastating floods. His last visit was in January 2025, but unfortunately, that trip ended badly for him. He was scammed and robbed. However, that didn’t break his spirit.

After taking some time to recover, Sebastian is once again dedicating himself to helping those in need. For over a week now, he has been hard at work assisting people in the Krosnowice and Pisary region, near the Polish-Czech border. While the area wasn’t widely affected by the recent floods, one unfortunate trio living right by the river lost nearly everything.

Among them is Mr. Roman, a man paralyzed since birth, who survives on a meager $250 monthly budget to cover bills, food, and medicine. Besides helping with repairs, Sebastian personally bought him a washing machine and even insured it against future flood damage—all from his own pocket.

Sebastian's deep compassion keeps him from turning a blind eye to those in silent suffering. As he says, "Those who need help the most are often the least likely to ask for it."

He also lent a hand to a local painter whose home—an architectural heritage site from 1901—was destroyed by the flood. Despite a few disagreements during the process, Sebastian installed flooring, repainted walls, and mounted a new water heater. The results, as shown in photos, are stunning.

Another family he helped was an elderly couple who had initially used their private van to deliver food to others at the early stage of the flood crisis. Once Sebastian heard about their selfless actions, he knew he had to repay their kindness. Months after the disaster, the situation in many flood-affected regions remains dire. Homes and businesses are still in ruins. Tourism and commerce have vanished. But this only fuels Sebastian’s determination to continue his work.

His mission goes beyond manual labor. Thanks to donations sent through the GlobalGiving platform, the PAY IT FORWARD Foundation provides Sebastian with additional funds to buy essential items for flood victims—such as a gas-powered blower, one of his latest purchases.

How does Sebastian find the people he helps? Initially, he relied on local residents and multiple social media groups. Now, after so many trips, people recognize him. Word of mouth works wonders—even in 2025.

Helping others, however, is never easy. Sebastian has made countless sacrifices—most recently sleeping in a former border guard station and working physically for over 12 hours a day. He also warns about an alarming trend: fake contractors exploiting flood victims, taking money and vanishing without doing the promised work.

But where there is need, there is Sebastian. The PAY IT FORWARD Foundation and the people of flood-stricken regions know they can always count on him—because he never gives up on doing good. And with your support, it will be possible for a long time.

Links:

• Krosnowice during the flood of September 15-17, 2024