Hello and thank you for visiting! (Updated for new conditions August 2022)
4 Million Ukrainians need help who have had to flee their homeland due to this insane and terrible war.
Hundreds of thousands will come to Canada and Alberta is a primary destination! Their ancestors in 1890-1910 made contributions over time to our province that set new standards for immigrant communities for over 100 years and tie us together to this day.
It is our privilege and honour to invest in these people. My mother as a small child in Nova Scotia helped hide dollar bills and penicillin in the soles of shoes being sent to Hungary and Poland in the 1950s during soviet oppression there, I am both sad and proud to help continue a Canadian tradition of helping however we can. My grandparents hosted refugees fleeing those countries for a decade, and it’s now our turn in a new way. These are not refugees and do not get the same “free ride” introduction to Canadian life from the federal government as some other groups have. We are taking these people in and investing in them so they can make great lives here. Support levels change almost daily and we are always pressing for more for them, but the primary focus is housing and basic needs through hosting.
People are commonly reporting that hosting a family is the most rewarding and joyful experience in their lives, even with some challenges. They may have feared at first new culture or language, but technology helps there. They worried they didn’t have enough to support the newcomers, but found support among us and Ukrainians who appreciate any small help and that their conditions are much better here with you than in Europe for most.
If you want to host a family from Ukraine coming to Alberta please join us here to learn more:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/albertaukrainehosts
If you want to host a family in Edmonton please join us here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/edmontonhostsukrainians
Email directly to Edmontonhostsukrainians@gmail.com to be placed directly by our team with incoming families.
For Calgary Area people please join us at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/yychostsukraine
Red Deer and central regions join us at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/701152207559382
We will connect you with others who are helping, lots of documentation and support through the process and set realistic expectations.
Commitment for a host has been made easier and shorter recently and can include:
- Total support for basic housing costs (place to live, internet, utilities etc) for an agreed period (1 to 3 months is now the most common, although in some cases more would be appreciated as they start to earn and contribute back to you)
- Food and basic items included for initial period pre-employability (assume they come with very little to nothing) Many community supports exist to provide many basic needs for you from donations. Toiletries, feminine products, towels and sheets, some clothing, much is available free initially.
- A safe environment suitable to human habitation (room to sleep, bathroom, shared areas with host, whatever is appropriate for the newcomers you choose whether it is 1 person, two, or 3 to 6.)
- Time and energy investment for help with cultural understanding, talking and language development, help with transportation etc (We have volunteers to assist with this)
- Patience and understanding. It is strongly advised that you include your friends, family and neighbours to raise awareness and gain support. Strain on resources over time can be dramatically reduced in this way and provide a more welcoming, less isolated environment. In this time all connections are maintained to Ukrainian organizations for support of both the Ukrainian family and the Canadian Host.We try to set the expectation that these are not friends crashing in your guest room for a bit, they are new family for you and may need more help than they think, given the different economy, culture and lifestyle where they came from.
- Police checks are required for everyone’s safety and can be done for free in several places including Edmonton and Calgary with our letter of support from local Ukrainian Charity. Newcomers are vetted and checked by Canadian authorities before receiving their visa to come here.
Our National (Canada-Wide) group for Hosts and supporters is here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/canadianhosts
There are people who can host, and people who are willing to volunteer time, money and resources to support Canadian Hosts. We prepare and educate and support everyone to ensure they have a strong support network for maximum success on all sides!
Please feel free to enquire about hosting or about support and volunteering!
Support and volunteer ideas:
- Coffee visits, Walks, Social time with Ukrainian guests to socialize and practice english
- Bring resources (Grocery/Canadian Tire/Hudsons bay/Fuel/other Gift cards) to support a host family
- Bring physical goods (after asking what is needed) for the family.
- Play with children, go to the park, and give the parents a little peace to rest, learn english etc.
- Invite Ukrainian guests to your home for a meal or to some activity, rec centre, festival, or tour, river valley walk, bbq etc.
WE NEED EMPLOYERS AS WELL!
If you want to hire a Ukrainian they may be an engineer, legal person, medical/pharmacy, mechanic, labourer, child care worker, teacher, housewife, farmer, bookkeeper or other background.
Visit JOB HUB UKRAINE where you can list your employment opportunity as well as access a growing list of Ukrainians looking for work
Really amazing and important organizations involved:
Ukrainian Canadian Social Services (Edmonton Branch) – http://edm.ucss.info/index.html
Ukrainian Canadian Congress (Edmonton/Alberta Branch) – https://www.ucc.ca/ucc-member/edmonton-ab/
And of course many other community support and newcomer welcoming agencies who need support.
Multicultural Health Brokers:
Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers
Edmonton Immigrant Services Association
ASSIST
To hear a great radio program where we discussed the details of this effort please click here
To see a tv new segment featuring a family we’ve assisted and the impact it has on them please click here.
Thank you for helping make Canada stronger, and for reinforcing our commitment to Ukraine as a free democracy and ally.
SolarNinjas has hired 1 person coming from Ukraine and helped place many families in homes as well as gainful employment. If you can help with this by providing employment opportunities, please connect with the organizations above and join the facebook groups listed. There are many skilled professionals with advanced education, as well as mechanical trades and service/salon/entry level workers coming who are dedicated and have the kind of work ethic we rarely see anymore.
This is what Canada does, we help and welcome in times of horror and stress in the world.