IN URGENT NEED OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT UKRAINIANS FLEEING THE
WAR
March 14, 2023
Waterloo Region, Ontario. Waterloo Region Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis (WRGR), a 100%-volunteer-led group of residents in Waterloo Region, are looking for Community Partners to help support displaced people fleeing the War in Ukraine. With the extremely high volume of Ukrainian families that continue to arrive in Waterloo Region and surrounding areas, WRGR is struggling to keep up with the number of families in need.
We need people willing to be temporary hosts. We need to determine if we can set up warming centers. We need additional support in gathering essentials such as food, clothing, and hygiene items for the families we are welcoming. We are also in need of financial donations to WR Grassroots to help fund the shelters we have already established.
This is particularly urgent because Canada’s CUAET Visa, the pathway Ukrainians use to enter Canada, is set to end on March 31 and no one, including Ontario settlement agencies, really know what this means. Ukrainians are scrambling to enter Canada before that deadline and are overwhelming not only our immigration and settlement services but the community groups desperately trying to help.
Religious Institutions & Communities may be uniquely positioned to support these efforts. Please consider attending one of the following meetings on March 16 or 23 to learn more about how Religious Institutions in WR can work with KW Multicultural Center and WR Grassroots to support these families.
https://www.wrgrassrootsresponse.ca/event-details-registration/religious-institutions-support-needed-ukrainians-in-ontario-are-going-homeless
Please visit our website to learn more. https://www.wrgrassrootsresponse.ca. Alternatively, we can be contacted at wrgrassrootsresponse@gmail.com or 519-242-8524.
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Some statistics collected by WRGR as of March 10, 2023:
649 families have requested help with finding a rental, host, or support when coming into our Region.
840 times families have requested overall support for various resources (this is the number for all
requests made to WRGR).
over 200 hosts (for accommodations) have said they are interested.
140 of these have hosted through us.
We have connected 155 Ukrainian families with hosts (261 adults + 134 children = 395 people).