By ZACH LAIRD, InDepthNH.org

After the Common Man for Ukraine’s latest trip on March 21 to provide food and supplies for people, often mothers and children, living near the front-lines of war, its co-founders visited a retreat for widowed mothers to offer support, connection, and a chance to find some peace.

The organization is a New Hampshire-based nonprofit that has partnered with the the Zamosc Ordynacky Rotary Club of Poland. Since 2022, the Common Man for Ukraine has delivered more than 4 million pounds of food, 10,000 sleeping bags, and hundreds of generators to people in need.

More about this ongoing effort and how to donate can be found here: https://commonmanforukraine.org/

Co-founder Susan Mathison said the idea for the Mothers Trauma Retreat came after getting feedback
about a similar retreat for Ukrainian children whose fathers were killed or missing in the war, which was
an existing program. After speaking with mothers of the children in a listening session on how to
improve the experience, Mathison said one of the ideas proposed by mothers in the group was for them to have their own retreat. The group launched its first women’s retreat in August 2025.

“The mothers would say, ‘I wish I had something like that for myself, because I’m a young mother,
recently widowed, living in a warzone, and trying to make decisions for my children, myself, and the
elderly.’ All the questions that a young widow would think about, and all the challenges she has to work
through living in a warzone and raising a family by herself,” Mathison said.

She continued that she and the other co-founders determined that “in order to support these children
the best we can, we need to support the mothers.” Mathison added that it’s a 10-day retreat in Poland in a safe environment with the supervision of licensed psychologists who help women through trauma and
foster a sisterhood between the widows. Between 15 to 20 women normally participate.

The retreat is held in Zakopane, a city in Poland which Mathison described as a rural ski community, and
the widow’s retreat begins after the three-week children’s retreat. The nonprofit leases a building to house the participants. Every mother is given her own room, and is able to have important conversations with each other about grief, and moving forward. They enjoy events like hiking and art programs to express themselves. There are also individual counseling sessions with psychologists.

“They’re creating this really great long-term support system… From visiting these widow retreats, they’re
phenomenal. These women are just making such great progress in their journey, they’re finding this great
support system, and re-emboldening themselves to go back to Ukraine, and be better mothers and single
parents for their children,” she said.

Mathison said she’s seen the women involved form an amazing sisterhood throughout their time at the
retreat. By the time they leave after their 10 days, she noted they’ve become fast friends.

“We’re privileged to see that miracle unfold, and then off they go… back to Ukraine to unite with their
children and families,” she said.

She recalled a moment that stuck with her and reinforced the importance of the nonprofit’s mission: she
said during an art session, one woman drew a picture of a flower in the process of blooming. Her heart
was in the center of the bloom, and the woman was conveying that “I’m feeling like I’m ready to be
reborn as a strong, loving mother and woman, who wants to love again, and I want to give myself
permission to love again,” according to Mathison.

“That was a powerful moment for me. I also happen to be a widow, and that transition from being stuck,
transitioning to opening as she drew in her flower, to be this new and richer and still-loving partner for
someone… It’s very empowering to go from a victim of circumstance to open to life again. To me, that’s
perfect success. That’s exactly what we want: that a mother will go home empowered and open to joy and
love again in her life,” Mathison said.

Co-founder Lisa Mure described the retreat as a “really important bonding experience” for the women
who attend to get a break from the war, and responsibilities to spend time to focus on themselves, which
they don’t often get.

“The idea of just taking time for themselves is pretty foreign to them, but they were grateful for it, and
they were enjoying it,” Mure said.

Co-founder Alex Ray, who is best known for his Common Man restaurants and his generosity, said of the decision to have a retreat for widowed mothers: “Here we are with the war and the loss of men, but these women had nobody to turn to… We’re giving them a chance to get out. Being alone for four years is painful.”

Mure said it’s a privilege to be able to do the work she does. She stressed the importance of the many
donors who have contributed over the years to help the nonprofit’s mission. When Mure told the women
in Ukraine about the thousands of donations that came in from across the United States, the women had
tears in their eyes.

“They were so moved by the fact that so many Americans care for them, and give up their resources so
that the retreat can happen,” Mure said. “I want to thank New Hampshire: InDepthNH.org reached out and wanted to speak to us, the Union Leader did an op-ed in support of our work, and WMUR did a live zoom call while we were right out on the eastern front… It says a lot about the character of New Hampshire that we’re so engaged in what’s happening around the world, and that we put our actions and resources where our hearts are.”

Ray said, “So many generous people are the ones that are carrying the biggest part (of the nonprofit’s
work)… but also, these Rotary members are our drivers, and go to all these places to help people out, and
bring them food. That’s a big job.”

Mathison said that the organization is already working on future convoy trips to continue to bring food
and supplies to Ukraine.