On September 6, 2022, under the afternoon sun in California’s Silicon Valley, Tzu Chi volunteers Michelle Wong and Leslie Shieh welcomed Slava and his family to their dental clinic. Escaping conflict in Ukraine, comedian Slava and his wife, Tosha, found safety in the United States after a long journey accompanied by their two young children, Amir and Arina. Slava had been experiencing a toothache, but at that time, they could not afford the cost of expensive dental procedures. Slava’s wife, Tosha, searched for help via the internet, and Tzu Chi promptly reached out to provide the family with free dental care and living assistance.

The Tzu Chi USA team in El Monte, California, poses for a photo during the 2021 Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) Convention. Photo/Shuli Luo Written by Rujing Zheng, Shuli