Please help our Ukrainian friends
Donation protected
Our family has been helping Ukrainians fleeing the war for the past two months. We are hosting them in our home, helping secure visas, booking flights, picking them up from the airport, searching for housing, collecting and distributing donations with rented trucks, setting up internet, phone and much more. We will continue to help as many people as possible, but they also need your help.
They have told appalling stories about sleeping in subway tunnels for a week, zigzagging around active warzones for days trying to find safe passage to Poland, being trapped in Russian-occupied territory without internet or phone connection, sleeping on floors for months, making molotov cocktails, children being hospitalized due to psychological distress and refusing to eat, urgent health care appointments being canceled and much more.
Now that these families are here and attempting to recover and heal from their ordeal, we are running into many roadblocks and could use your help. Many of them arrived with one bag and are starting over with nothing. They have left behind their homes, vehicles, careers, pets, family, friends, and almost all possessions. Some have made it to London but are now forced to return to Ukraine since they can't find work, housing etc.
You can find a detailed list of how your financial contributions can help at the bottom of the page, followed by a list of donated items families are looking for. Please help if you can.
MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE HELPING:
Yuri Jr., Anna, Yuri, Ivan and Lizzy
This family of five has been staying with us in our home since the 7th. They are currently searching for housing and working towards getting their driver's licenses.
Arisha, Irina, Ki and Alla
This family is from Kyiv and will arrive in Canada on July 31st. We are picking them up at the airport and bringing them to a home in Byron. We have been delivering donations and setting up the house to prepare it for the family.
A thank-you video from Arisha:
Iya
Iya is a set designer, clarinetist and artist from Mykolaiv. We've been working with our member of parliament to get her a visa and flight to Canada asap. She is hoping to teach children clarinet or find work as a set designer.
Rashad & Alice
Rashad and Alice are from Kyiv. They just moved into an apartment in the White Oaks neighborhood and are expecting their first baby in the late autumn. We have been collecting and delivering donations to them. They don't know anyone in London and we hope to collect and give lots of items for the baby.
Kate, Oleksandra and Nikita
They are arriving in Canada on September 9th and will stay with us until they find their own place. Kate is a Java developer, and Oleksandra is a jeweler. Nikita loves animals, swimming, riding scooters and bicycles.
HOW FINANCIAL DONATIONS WILL HELP
- Transportation to and from the airport
- Accommodations while waiting for CUAET visa
- Accommodations while waiting for government flights
- Purchase of flights
- Quarantine accommodations (if necessary)
- Mattresses and frames
- CUAET Medical Diagnostic Tests
- Vehicle rentals
- Transportation to Service Canada, Service Ontario, covid vaccine clinics, Ministry of Transportation, language schools etc.
- Language classes (course fees, stationery items, computers, webcams, microphones, headphones)
- Supplies, clothing and tools needed to work or continue businesses
- Haircuts and other personal care
- Transportation to and from work (buses and uber/taxis if necessary)
- Purchase and rental of bicycles, e-scooters, e-bikes etc.
- Childcare, day camps etc. (so parents can complete courses and documents, look for work and housing, attend interviews and work etc.
- Driving school
- Purchase of rent insurance, so the landlord knows they’ll get paid and will waive some requirements for lease (6 months of Canadian employment, credit score etc.)
- Security deposits and up to six month's rent needed to get approved for housing
- Internet and phone setup costs
- Testing and upgrading skills and licenses
- Realtor fees
- Dental, prescription and other health spending not covered by OHIP (or until OHIP is set up)
- Lawyer and Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant fees
DONATIONS
If you prefer to donate goods directly, please see the list below of items the community needs:
Travel: airline miles/ points, hotel points/rewards
Bedding: mattresses, blankets, sheets, box springs, frame
Food: non-perishable items
Baby Supplies: diapers, wipes, formula,
Office supplies: WiFi routers, laptops, microphone, webcam, computers, printers/scanner, tablets
Electronics: vacuums, dustbusters, smart televisions, smart speakers, roku, Chromecast etc.
Kitchen supplies: blenders, coffee makers, coffee grinders, crock pots, instapot, rice cookers, non-stick pans, large pots
Bathroom supplies: hair dryers, curling irons, hair straighteners
Children’s toys: interactive books and toys with English audio to help teach English
Transportation: bike trailers, bicycles, e-bikes and scooters, helmets
Musical instruments: guitars, ukulele, keyboards, clarinets, microphones etc.