Uniting for Ukraine: Welcoming the Immigrant

Our parish, along with members of the Strongsville United Church of Christ and other community organizations, have formed a Welcome Circle in support of a family of five. Read an article about us and other parishes in the area welcoming Ukrainian families. Our family is the Polianchuk family, consisting of a father who is skilled in driving a truck and carpentry, a mother who was a teacher, and 3 young children.

Update 8-5-2023

We are past our 6-month mark since Mykola, Yevheniia and their children arrived in Cleveland. The family has settled in for the summer. The children have been great, enjoying hoverboard, a new pool, parties with their school friends, and time in daycare. Baby Mykola is in "kindergarten" at the Ukranian school as well. The girls will start school at the end of August. Diana is entering kindergarten and Sasha in entering 5th grade. Their vegetable garden is wonderful, growing peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and beartiful flowers. 

Mykola completed his CDL and is employed at a trucking firm where he drives delivering cars to other destinations. The work takes him long distances. A couple of weeks age, he was in Los Angeles! Yevheniia is looking for work, too, and is starting to do housecleaning.

We are coming upon the time when the Matching Grant and some benefits are going to stop, so we are working with the family on preparing for this part of their journey. They are finding more resources on their own and it's been great seeing them be more independent. They are so grateful for the peace and opportunities that we have been able to offer them as they learn our culture. 

There are now 16 committed Welcome Circles between 15 parishes in the Cleveland Diocese, and 2-3 more have information meetings coming up to discern involvement. Thank you for your prayers and ongoing support!

Here is a letter the family wanted to share with everyone who has helped along the way:

Dear Team of Sponsors,
We are very grateful for the opportunity to visit and live in America, that you have given our family. We are pleased to meet such wonderful, friendly, beautiful people. We sincerely appreciate the time and resources you have devoted to helping us at a time when Ukraine is in a complicated situation. Your active public position, concern, and tireless work add faith in an excellent Ukrainian people's future because the unity of the civilized world is one of the main conditions for Ukraine's success. You are a model of humanity and charity.
May your kindness return to you a hundredfold. We wish you optimism, health, inexhaustible energy, and peace. A low bow to all who help Ukraine overcome Russian aggression and give Ukrainians a chance for a happy life.
Best wishes,
The Polianchuk family




If you have any questions or wish to learn more, please contact our coordinators:

  • Rosanne Radziewicz, Turn on JavaScript!
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