Last November, I traveled to Poland to witness the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency‘s lifesaving work in service to Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes due to the war in their country. My team met people like Valentyn – a refugee himself, but now he wears the UNHCR blue jacket, a hero’s cape in many ways to his fellow Ukrainians.

It’s been nearly three years since the full-scale invasion, and so much has happened in those three years, and frankly in the past three months since I was in Poland. Last year more than 60 countries around the world held national elections, including in the U.S., and with new governments in place and new policies being issued, in recent weeks I’ve started to hear the question, will agencies like UNHCR survive?

Without a doubt, UNHCR will continue its lifesaving work. Let me share why I’m so confident in that response.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the war that had started in 2014. The invasion is among the largest and deadliest conflicts in Europe since World War II, causing tens of thousands of casualties and millions of people to flee their homes.

The world watched as tearful mothers pushed strollers to train stations, children sought comfort in stuffed animals, and families were separated as fathers remained in Ukraine to fight in the war. I’ll never forget the photos of families – with pets, with musical instruments, with makeshift kitchens – huddled together in underground subway stations.

For the first time since the Syrian crisis, the plight of refugees was front and center in the United States news landscape and a collective compassion was ignited that broke nearly all records for generosity and concern. Americans responded immediately. Hundreds of thousands of new donors from every single state in the country stepped up to give, and hundreds of important new partnerships developed.

And because of that swift and sustained support, UNHCR has been able to support Ukrainian refugees in building their own networks of resilience and applying their professional skills and experience of forced displacement to meet unmet needs in their communities. I saw this firsthand in Lublin, Poland when visiting the Eleon Foundation, a refugee-led organization delivering psychosocial care to refugee children with special needs. With UNHCR’s support, Eleon is helping refugee children recover from the trauma of fleeing the war and providing a space for refugee families in similar situations to connect and support each other. There is a shared humanity in recognizing that even within a displaced and thereby vulnerable population, some people have even greater needs. UNHCR never forgets that.

In long-term refugee situations, UNHCR’s focus shifts from emergency response to working with refugees, country governments, and host communities to ensure refugees are included in local school systems and labor markets. In Poland, this work is critically important as nearly one million Ukrainian refugees have sought safety in the country since February 2022.

These examples highlight refugee resilience but also models of determination, talent, and courage. Refugees are far from helpless, far from incompetent. But they are also far from home, and have greatly benefited from the support of the American people.

There are people like this in Syria, Sudan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Colombia, and beyond. In the travel I have done, and the people I have met, I am struck by our shared desire for safety, for purpose, and for togetherness across our differences.

Their stories and resolve inspire the compassionate support of USA for UNHCR donors. Our donors tell us why they give – things like “They are our neighbors,” “It could happen to anyone,” “It’s part of my faith as a Christian,” and “I want them to know they are loved and not abandoned.”

Our donors also know that UNHCR’s work on the frontlines around the world contributes to a stronger, safer, and more prosperous United States. Reductions in assistance impact the most vulnerable people who have been forced from their homes and can trigger further movement. In Syria, for example, the return of refugees is tightly linked to peace and security.

As we approach the three-year mark of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and bear witness to other tragedies around the globe, I gain inspiration from the core mandate of UNHCR’s work: to provide lifesaving assistance and protect the rights of people forced to flee war, violence, and persecution. And my resolve is strengthened knowing that we stand behind the humanitarians at UNHCR who are working every day – with governments, the private sector, and partners – to find practical solutions for refugees and host communities.

I started this piece by sharing my confidence in the resilience of UNHCR. Yes, we are still assessing the full impact of the new U.S. administration’s decision to pause foreign assistance on UNHCR’s lifesaving operations — providing critical relief like blankets, mattresses and warm clothes for Ukrainians, safe water in Sudan, and shelter repairs for families as they return to Syria. And at the same time, we are doing our utmost to ensure we continue supporting refugees and internally displaced people around the world.

At this time of financial uncertainty, your support is as critical as ever in helping us meet the urgent needs of the people we serve. We appeal to individual Americans, corporations, foundations, and civil society to step up their support for our work and for our cause. The tremendous compassion and capacity of our donor community is more critical than ever in this moment.