This Idaho City Is Welcoming Ukrainian Refugees With Open Arms
When the war started and we saw how many refugees were fleeing Ukraine or were displaced within their own country, we realized that it would be only a matter of time before they landed here in Idaho.
Those are the words of Tina Polischuk, director of outreach for the Idaho Alliance for Ukrainian Refugees and Immigrants. Her and her team are about to welcome refugee families from the war-torn country to the Gem State starting this week.
Our goal here with our alliance is to make sure that our local resources are prepared to receive the Ukrainian people that are going to end up at our doorstep.
The alliance has revamped a homeless shelter located in Nampa to accommodate incoming families from Ukraine. They're even going above and beyond by helping families get proper documentation and transportation, and even offering education to help teach English as a second language.
Will the shelter be a permanent home for incoming Ukrainian families? The alliance says its goal is to help families find jobs and move into permanent housing, something they've been working on for weeks.
You don't need to search far for the shelter. It's inside the Lighthouse Rescue Mission in Nampa, which previously served as a men's shelter.
If you'd like to lend a hand and volunteer, the alliance is looking for you! They've already had more than 100 people sign up to help, and the more the merrier.
This Saturday, the center will be celebrating with a grand opening starting at 10 a.m.