Café Ukraine has been “a resounding success” in the year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to one of its organizers.
Yaroslav Baran is on the board of directors of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and is an organizer with Café Ukraine, which began helping Ukrainian newcomers settle in the community when it opened in June 2022, just a few months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Ottawa SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
From left, Marusia Medyk Garbutt, Olha Rudenko, Yaroslav Baran, Larysa Baran and Dahlia Allaire were volunteers at Café Ukraine’s opening night, June 24, 2022.It began as a hangout spot where people could share information like how they got their job, driver’s licence or social insurance number, which was a successful endeavour. The café has since grown to host special events, guest lectures and workshops such as an English-as-a-second-language club that meets once per week.
In the time since Russia invaded Ukraine one year ago, Father Taras Kinash of the local Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox church said the way it helps Ukrainians in need has evolved.Article content“That’s why we’re more focused on helping them look for jobs and offering generous psychological and mental health support,” he said. “So we don’t focus on donations and charity as much anymore.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral Parish Priest Father Taras Kinash on Dec. 25, 2022.Kinash said last spring and summer, hundreds of Ukrainians needed humanitarian aid every day from the church. Even with more people still coming, he said the amount of people it’s helped each day in the past few months has fallen slightly.Article content
“In any crisis, there is a certain lifecycle. Immediately there is shock and horror and people want to volunteer and donate — and they did, which is great,” Baran said.The dip in attention has created a bit of a challenge in finding new volunteers and new donors, but Baran said there are always people willing to help.Article content
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