Hope Found, Hope Shared: Lesia’s Path with Grassroots

It is always a pleasure to share wonderful stories of families who have found their place in another country, in a new society. This is all thanks to the support of caring Canadians and volunteers.

Here is a new story... Some readers will see something similar to their own stories in it and sincerely rejoice for this family. Some will see hope and a chance for positive change. Others may feel motivated to take a first step to help newcomers.

In February 2023, a family from the Poltava region in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, flew to Toronto. Lesia, Serhii, and their three children: Sviatoslav, 11 years old, Milana, 8 years old, and Myroslav, 6 years old, were fleeing the war. At the airport, caring volunteers accommodated them in a hotel, where the family was permitted to stay for two weeks. Lesia found the volunteer organization Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis and contacted the volunteers, asking for help with housing after the hotel became unavailable for them:

lesia's family

Lesia says:

After we moved into the hotel, I started thinking about finding a family who could help us. The fastest way to do that was through Facebook. I wrote a post and received a lot of helpful information from Canadians who wanted to support newcomers. That’s also where I first learned about Grassroots Response.

I filled out the form to request a host family for us, although I didn’t have much hope—our family is quite large, and I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to help.

We were very surprised when, just a few hours later, Stephanie reached out to me. Her first questions were, of course, about the children—whether they were okay and whether we had access to food. And by the afternoon, she had already found a host family for us—one that has now become our new Canadian family.

Lynn and Harold Martin from Wellesley are becoming a new family in Canada for this family of newly arrived Ukrainians. The Martins are incredible people who opened not only their doors but also their hearts to them.

The families worked together during this period of adaptation to a new country. Thanks to the Martins’ recommendation, Serhii found a great job, the children were placed in good schools, and all the necessary documents were processed very quickly.

The Martins did everything possible to support the new arrivals and make their transition to a new life less stressful and more comfortable. Their help was not only material, but also emotional. The Ukrainian family lived together with the hosts for a year and three months. During this time, they developed a close relationship.

Connections like this help create a community where everyone supports each other. The mutual respect, understanding and kindness make such relationships special and valuable.

When we lend a helping hand, we not only change another person's life but also give meaning to our own lives. Every good deed, every word of support, has incredible power – the power to inspire, heal and give hope. After all, by helping others, we help ourselves to be better, stronger and more compassionate.

Lesia says:

After Grassroots helped connect us with the Martin family (or rather, helped us become part of their lives), they supported us in every possible way—and continue to do so. This experience inspired me to give back and be helpful to other Ukrainians. That’s when I decided to become a volunteer with Grassroots.

Last year, when Grassroots opened another Guest House for Ukrainian families in Waterloo, I was offered the opportunity to become the house coordinator. I gladly accepted, because it felt like the right time for me to give back, to support new arrivals just as I had once been supported.

Grassroots helped me start a new life in Canada and find a wonderful family. Now it’s my turn to say thank you, and I chose to do it through volunteering—because it allows me to share what Grassroots once gave me: hope and faith in the good people they’ve brought together.