On this somber anniversary, you can support our Ukrainian arrivals

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UKRAINE, ONE YEAR ON
FOR OVER 110 YEARS, ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND LIVES OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
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Ukrainian family assisted by USCRI.
Dear Friends,

Today marks a sobering anniversary. One year ago, Russia invaded its neighbor, Ukraine. In a 67-second speech to his people on the day of the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared his resolve with his country: “Russia started a full-scale war against us. We are strong. We are ready for anything. We will defeat everyone. Because we are Ukraine!”

In his presidential speech today, a year later, President Zelensky described that day -- February 24, 2022 -- as “the longest day of our lives. The hardest day in our modern history. We woke up early and haven’t fallen asleep since.” He noted that “… every Ukrainian has lost someone in the past year. A father, a son, a brother, a mother, a daughter, a sister. A loved one. A close friend, colleague, neighbor, acquaintance.” Thankfully he went on to say, “[This has been a year of resilience. A year of care. A year of bravery. A year of pain. A year of hope. A year of endurance. A year of unity…Its main result is that we endured. We were not defeated.”

In that year, you have partnered with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). You have risen to the occasion and responded to this humanitarian crisis. Thanks to you, we have been able to help scores of Ukrainians in our field offices throughout the U.S. Ukrainians like the Istomin family.

“When I saw a tank roll by the window of our home, I decided it was time to leave Kharkiv,” says Maksym Istomin, who arrived in Northeast Ohio this past September with his wife and two young daughters. “The war is terrible and full of death, so we are happy to be in America.” Maksym found a sponsor in Cleveland on the messaging app Telegram.

The Istomin family is one of the hundreds of Ukrainian refugee families who have come to the Ohio counties of Cuyahoga and Lorain this past year. USCRI Cleveland’s team of native Ukrainian speakers helps these families get healthcare, food, and gainful employment.

The Istomin family’s sponsor has purchased a home for them in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, with the understanding that Maksym will eventually own it.

For now, Maksym supports his family by working in a factory. This work is very different from Ukraine, where he was an interior designer with an electrical engineering degree. Thinking about the future, Maksym may want to stay in Ohio, return to school in Cleveland, and become an entrepreneur, saying, “My dream is to open a company like Amazon.”

We are confronted daily with news images and reports of the senseless devastation and the atrocities committed against Russia’s neighbor. Rather than accepting the numbness or resignation that this news creates, we can take action to support the many Ukrainians arriving here with humanitarian visas. We can help them – together with your support ([link removed]) .

One year on, the need for Ukrainians is still great and ongoing. The U.S. recently announced that it will accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. USCRI, along with our extensive national network of service providers and affiliates, will continue to assist Ukrainians coming to the U.S. in the months ahead.

On this somber anniversary, you can support ([link removed]) our Ukrainian arrivals as they settle into safe homes and receive the resources they need to work through trauma and gain a sense of normality and dignity as they heal. Ukrainians like the Istomin family. Thank you for making this possible.

Will you help this Ukrainian outreach with a donation today? This hyperlink will take you to USCRI’s Ukrainian assistance page for donations marked solely for Ukrainian assistance ([link removed]) .

As an ally of Ukraine, you will find other ways to get involved and support the Ukrainian people at USCRI’s Resources for Ukrainian Allies ([link removed]) page.

Thank you for joining this urgent humanitarian response through your gifts and action today!

Gratefully yours,

Eskinder Negash
USCRI President and CEO
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USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.
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