New Ukrainian refugee families continue to arrive

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by West Brant Window World

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Household items needed to help newcomers

Oleg Stepus, left, was assisted on some of his recent deliveries to Ukrainian refugees by Vlad Piasetskiy and Vasiliy Chykalenko, men who were helped by the Full Gospel Slavic Church last year. Photo by Submitted

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Ukrainian families fleeing the war in their own country continue to land in Brantford where a small church is making big efforts to help them resettle.

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Irene Stepus, who along with her pastor husband, Oleg, is helping in the process, said there have been some large families arriving and the Full Gospel Slavic Church is struggling to meet all the needs of the newcomers.

“There was a scare that (Canada’s) program would close by the end of March so it had a snowball effect,” said Stepus. “We’ve got quite a few families coming in April and some of them quite big. A family of eight settled here last week and three more families of six are coming.”

That’s putting pressure on the little church where all the members work full-time and are trying to provide assistance whenever possible. Stepus said one person helps with school registrations, another works to get the new arrivals their health cards.

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Oleg Stepus generally takes every Saturday to go out and collect large donations of furniture and deliver them to the new arrivals.

Others sort through the incoming donations of household goods. “Everyone has a niche.” The church has risen to the challenge over the last year helping about 150 refugees get settled, find jobs, go to school and improve their English.

Most of the adults are now working. But the needs don’t stop. The church is posting the most pressing needs on a Facebook page and asking for public donations of household goods.

Irene Stepus says one of the most critical issues is finding jobs for women who only have minimal English skills. “The other issue is apartments. People want credit checks and these people don’t have any credit history in Canada.

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“And it’s always good to have food gift cards because we want to make sure they have food for the first couple of weeks.” The church is also collecting all kitchenware items – especially potato mashers – sheets, comforters, blankets and new pillows. “We have no tables left whatsoever.

We have two families coming Saturday and no table. Somebody always needs something.”

Ivan and Katarina Ianiuk, right, recently settled into a Brantford apartment with the assistance of Pastor Oleg Stepus (left) and the Full Gospel Slavic Church.

Katerina recently gave birth to a baby boy.

Stepus said one retired couple has been helping for the last year by going out to thrift stores to source specific needs and local store Mattress Miracle has supplied numerous mattresses to the new families. Donations can be dropped off at the Full Gospel Slavic Church at 70 Superior St. on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., or Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. The church is especially grateful for grocery gift cards, dining room tables and chairs, sofas and bed frames.

It’s also eager to get heaters, coffee tables, dressers, and all small household items and kitchen needs. At this time it’s not taking clothing donations, used pillows or large, old televisions. Pickup of large items can usually be arranged.

Call Stepus at 519-209-3856. For more information, go to Slavic Full Gospel Church on Facebook. [email protected]

@EXPSGamble

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