Our Story
Nothing is more important than people caring for one another.
Amb. (r.) Dr. Réka Szemerkényi — Founder and President
20+ years in strategy, international relations & security policy
Secretary
Joe Foster
Treasurer
Kris Bledowski
With over two decades of expertise in strategy, international relations, and security policy, our founder brings deep knowledge and heartfelt commitment to the mission of Together for Others.
The organization was launched together with her four children, who, together, coined the name “Together for Others,” in short, T4O.
“All of us wanted to do our however small part to end the suffering of children in war and hardship situations.”
Who We Are
Our organization
We are a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under Federal Tax guidelines.
Amb. (r.) Dr. Réka Szemerkényi — Founder and President
Joe Foster — Secretary
Kris Bledowski — Treasurer
Contact
Strategy and Leadership DBA Together for Others
POBox 34171
10421 Motorcity Drive
Bethesda MD 20817 USA
Our Origin
The Launching of T4O
Together for Others was launched to be able to give concrete, tangible and at the same time heartfelt support for those in need. Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine in 2022 was the moment that gave the starting point for launching the organization. Children who are in Ukraine, have been suffering, after the two years of the COVID pandemic, the pressures of the war. They need to be supported to be able to continue to grow and study, despite the hardships of the war. Once the war is over, they will be the generation to lead the rebuilding of their country.
Réka Szemerkényi emphasizes Ukraine’s importance for Euro-Atlantic security and stability and believes that supporting the most vulnerable there is a moral imperative as well as a strategic investment in a more peaceful future.
Our Mission
T4O Mission
Together for Others is committed to contribute to making the World a real home for all, and through its support for children’s, youth and women leadership causes where the need arises, has as its mission, to contribute to just this.
“To support the cause of children, youth and women in need — especially in education, youth development and training, and the development of value-based, ethical and inclusive leadership.”
The Team
The Host Committee
Together for Others was built by a group of dedicated women who came together with a shared conviction: that even small acts of solidarity can create lasting change for those who need it most.
The Focus of Our Signature Event
Children in Ukraine
Children in Ukraine face continuous warfare, air raids, destruction of homes and cities, and constant fear since 2022 already — not only those who remain near the front line, but practically all, live under the threat of missiles and shelling every day.
An entire generation is at risk of losing not just their childhood, but their future.
The educational impact has been devastating. Children had already lost two years to COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns (2020–2022). When the Russian invasion began in 2022, it prevented their return to school. Another four years have now passed without normal education. Schools have been bombed, teachers displaced, and the daily routine of studying shattered.
For children living near the front line, the consequences go beyond academics. The psychological toll — anxiety, trauma, isolation — compounds with the every day air-raid siren. For them, keeping structured education and access to doing sports provide not just knowledge, but stability, a sense of normalcy — a chance for their future.
Rather than waiting for the war to end, T4O seeks to contribute to keeping or restoring basic school environments, supporting educational continuity despite interruptions, and prepare Ukrainian children and youth for the future reconstruction of their country.
Every classroom we equip, every teacher we support to give a child an extra hour, every child who gets the school equipment they need, is a step toward that future.
Launching of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine
Together for Others takes action
6+ years of disrupted education
Together for Others continues support and action
The Beginning
Action Launched by Facts on the Ground
The world was in shock to see an all-out war on Europe’s territory. Images of children in Ukraine walking to school through rubble. Students sitting in underground shelters, notebooks open, trying to study while sirens wailed above. Russian shelling targeted at children’s institutions and shelter. Despite everything — the shelling, the fear, the loss — they kept showing up. Their bravery was extraordinary and inspired for action.
Click on any painting to view the full collection. Artworks by Ukrainian children from frontline communities.
Children’s art work from these areas expressing their experience — heartbreaking and powerful in equal measure. Through their art, children expressed the insane, deeply troubling, horrifying reality of war: the fear, the destruction, the longing for peace, and the way conflict was reshaping their lives.
Their paintings spoke louder than any headline ever could.
These weren’t abstract concepts — they were the experiences lived through by children: tanks where playgrounds used to be, painting skies divided between fire and hope.
Partnership
Partnering with Science4People
Founded and led by Prof. dr. Ferenc Krausz
Based on the same deep commitment to children’s education in Ukraine, T4O began to collaborate with Science4People, the organization founded by Ferenc Krausz, a physicist. Shortly after this, Dr. Krausz received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023.
T4O and S4P started cooperating to work directly in Ukraine to support children’s education — drawn by the same commitment, responsibility and urgency.
After receiving the Nobel Prize, Professor Krausz donated generously from his Prize to the cause of Ukrainian children, further reinforcing the mission we share.
Together for Others is an organization that is built from the ground up, based on personal commitment and moral calling of every one of its contributors. From assembling a Host Committee, through organizing fundraising events, to establishing direct partnerships with schools and communities in need. What started as a response to human suffering became concrete action and support, thanks to the personal commitment of many individuals.
How We Work
Built on transparency, efficiency, and compassion
Our operations are built on three pillars: transparency, efficiency, and compassion. We organize charity fundraisers and awareness events that supports those who are most in need of it.
Join us in making
a difference.
Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us bring hope and education to those who need it most.
Support Our Mission