‘It was really emotional’: Calgary host family encourages more people to offer places to those fleeing war
Dozens of individuals fleeing the conflict in Ukraine have been at a Calgary church on Saturday getting assist and assembly new mates.
Kate Podolska arrived in Calgary from Ukraine Friday night time, alone with solely her suitcase. She doesn’t know anybody in Calgary and she or he’s staying with an individual she’s by no means met earlier than.
“I’m confused. I don’t know anyone right here and I don’t have household, however I met a whole lot of good individuals right here,” mentioned Podolska, who left her job at a College in Kharkiv. Her husband stays in Poland, making an attempt to get his papers to return to Canada.
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Podolska mentioned it’s a aid to flee Kharkiv, the place she had been looking for shelter in a metro station for a number of weeks.
On Saturday she was at St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox church selecting up donated objects and getting accustomed to her new life in Calgary.
“It’s an important aid since you meet individuals and also you speak in your native language and a few basic items that you would be able to get right here as a result of, after all, you can not take a lot with you,” Podolska mentioned.
That is the second weekend the Centre for Newcomers has been at St. Vladimir’s church providing assist to latest arrivals from Ukraine.
Workers with Centre for Newcomers mentioned donated home items are wanted in addition to locations to remain.
“We do want extra billets. We’d like extra resort companions. That’s not only for Ukrainians,” mentioned Jon Yee, vp of technique for the centre. “We’re nonetheless in an Afghan disaster. We’re nonetheless taking in Syrians. It’s nonstop disaster for lots of locations proper now.”
“Lots of people are coming with no helps, simply the garments on their backs. All these organizations right here in Calgary and round Alberta are simply hustling to attempt to assist all people,” Yee added.
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Susan Homik was volunteering on the church on Saturday. She hosted a mom and her two boys from Ukraine for 3 weeks.
“At first it was actually emotional, seeing the aid of their eyes that they’d someplace secure and safe to remain. We actually loved the little boys as a result of our boys are youngsters now so it was good having these little boys in the home despite the fact that they didn’t communicate English. Google translate was our savior,” Homik mentioned.
Homik mentioned final week the younger household moved right into a Calgary house donated to them for a whole yr.
She encourages anybody who’s feeling helpless and who has the house to contemplate being a number.
“I felt very blessed that I used to be capable of support any person in want. I felt very helpless and it made me perceive much more about their struggles as properly. It was pretty studying new dishes. We obtained their youngsters in rolled at school. There’s 4 different Ukrainian households within the college they will which is fabulous for these boys who don’t communicate English but,” Homik mentioned.
By way of the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), Ukrainian nationals and their relations can apply for a brief resident visa to journey to and keep in Canada.
Between March 17 and Might 4 204,227 purposes for momentary resident visas have been acquired and 91,482 have been authorized.
