Nancee Tegeder set out only to raise $700 to help a family escape Ukraine when she made her post on social media about a month ago.

But the simple campaign she launched quickly ballooned into something much greater. Tegeder, a California resident whose parents and sister reside in Pocatello, has helped create a rescue network with seven vans and several brave drivers constantly shuttling refugees from the war-torn nation.

Tegeder served a mission in Ukraine with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2000 and 2001. She still has many friends in Ukraine, including a woman named Yulia, who prompted the fund drive when she asked Tegeder to raise money to cover train tickets for her family to escape the Russian invasion.

Tegeder has a relatively modest social media footprint, with approximately 600 Facebook friends. Nonetheless, her request for help was shared several times, and donations ranging from $5 to $1,000 began pouring in. She’s already generated more than $100,000.

After the post about Yulia, she made a second post about Alexei, another Ukrainian she met while serving her mission. Alexei has remained in Ukraine to defend his country and help refugees. He told Tegeder he had sufficient savings to support his wife and son, who crossed the border. But Alexei has also been helping other families evacuate and has been covering the gas from his personal finances.

Again, Tegeder made a social media plea that generated far greater results than she’d anticipated — this time seeking gas money to support Alexei’s work.

Tegeder has pooled $100,000 from her fundraising with about $200,000 raised from a couple of similar social media campaigns, and their collective funding purchased the seven shuttle vans. Alexei was their first driver, and he’s recruited additional help.

“We always check with our drivers every day,” Tegeder said. “Some of them go into Russian occupied territories and it’s really scary, but all of them have made it out.”

Tegeder explained she accepts donations by Venmo and uses a special app to wire it to people in Ukraine.

Venmo contributions toward Tegeder’s efforts can be sent to @Nancee-Tegeder (4330). PayPal contributions may be sent to nanceetegeder@gmail.com.

“Once Alexei and his friends get to the border, they’re filling up their cars with humanitarian supplies and they’re bringing that back in,” Tegeder said.

Just a month ago, Tegeder said Alexei was working at a bank.

“Now he’s getting shot at driving people to safety,” she said, adding her husband also served an LDS mission in Ukraine and met Alexei in another area.

Maverik Adventure’s First Stop, based in Salt Lake City, has also prioritized helping people affected by the Ukraine crisis. The company made a $50,000 donation to the global Red cross network to help Ukrainians. The company also has a Round Up Your Change register program running through April 28 in support of the cause.

The Red Cross is now on the ground distributing food, medicine and other supplies to Ukrainian refugees, in addition to assisting with evacuations and providing shelter.