While Spokane prepares to welcome Ukrainian refugees, local organizations pitch in to send aid | news

SPOKANE, Wash. — Attacks in Ukraine have begun to ramp up, particularly in Lviv, where a barrage of Russian missiles caused an explosion at a fuel storage facility, injuring five. Some citizens fear Lviv may become the next target of Russian forces, much like Kyiv and Mariupol before it, and many are beginning to evacuate.

The number of estimated refugees from the nation is roughly 2.5 million. Neighboring nations have attempted to take in as many as possible, with Poland estimating around 1.6 million Ukrainians sheltered there, but resources are slim and many countries say they’re far beyond capacity to care for more.

And so, President Biden announced America would take in 100,000 refugees. With a robust Ukrainian community already established in the city, Spokane stands to accept a large number personally.

While World Relief Spokane prepares to welcome Ukraine refugees, the exact number we should expect is still unknown. But in a statement to our partners at the Spokesman Review, they say they’re ready to roll up their sleeves and serve any refugees who arrive.

In the meantime, a number of local Ukraine groups have been organizing relief efforts, intent on aiding their home country. And the Spokane community has been eager to support them.

When Cedar Coffee on Monroe started a fundraiser for Ukraine aid earlier this month, they expected a modest amount of donations—$500, or maybe $1,000 if they were lucky. Instead, Spokane showed up in full force, forming a line that wrapped around the block to wait for coffee and a chance to help.

Igor York, the shop’s owner, was blown away.

“For me, it’s step by step to win,” he said. “I wait each day, when… I have two countries—Ukraine and America… when our two countries will be winners.”

After just the first weekend, Cedar Coffee raised over $35,000, and they’ve continued their efforts in the weeks since, both in store through coffee and t-shirt sales, as well as online at the Spokane Helps Ukraine website.

From their continued efforts, over $47,000 have been raised, with all proceeds going directly to their team on the ground in Kharkiv, Ukraine for medical supplies.

York expressed his gratitude to the community, saying, “Again, I want to thank everyone who’s helped in this fighting.”

He is beyond appreciative of Spokane and the American response to the conflict in Ukraine, and thankful for efforts to send money, food, and much-needed supplies.

But now, personally, York hopes the US government steps its commitment to the Ukrainian army.

“I would say a great thank you for American president, but I think that he can do more than he did. I would ask the President to give more weapons to my country,” he urges. “With a lot of weapons, we will win exactly.”

Another group in the Spokane community has also stepped up to aid Ukrainians. Earlier this month, Bethlehem Slavic Church began a drive to collect and ship out supplies to areas of high conflict.

Much-needed items like warm clothing, two-way radios, baby formula and diapers, blankets, food, medical supplies, and toiletries were sorted and boxed up into individual care packages for families in need, then shipped overseas.

Organizer Dmitry Grishko says they are still getting a trickle of donations, with one more big in-person collection day happening Saturday, April 2 from 11 am to 3 pm After that, they’ll pause, gather any remaining supplies to ship out, and determine when future drives will take place.

As you might expect, it has been an expensive undertaking to send so many boxes in a time of broken supply chains and rising fuel costs, and so Grishko says the most needed donation now is monetary help to pay for shipping fees.

If you’d like to contribute, an online donation page has been set up on the Church’s website. Checks can be made out to Bethlehem Slavic Church and reference Ukraine Donation and either dropped off or mailed to:

302 W.Augusta Ave.

Spokane, WA 99205

All donations will be given a receipt for tax purposes. Any left over monetary donations after shipping fees will be sent to Ukraine to help citizens with costs of travel, food, shelter, and other urgent needs.