October 9, 2024

Cranbrook, BC (October 9, 2024) – The Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies (CFKR) is wrapping up its agency agreement with the Shelter for Ukrainians Society (SFUS), with November 2, 2024 as the final date of the agreement.

Because the Government of Canada’s Ukraine-specific refugee program has ended, CFKR and SFUS are winding up this project and are no longer seeking donations from the public for this initiative. Moving forward, charitable donations may be directed to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation: https://www.cufoundation.ca/.

Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine resulted in a flood of refugees from Ukraine who were seeking a safe haven in countries around the world, including Canada. In response, a group of dedicated Cranbrook residents quickly took action, organizing a board of directors and registering the Shelter for Ukrainians Society as a BC non-profit society.

CFKR was honoured to enter into an agency agreement with SFUS in early April 2022, to provide funding to support refugees from Ukraine with their temporary and/or permanent re-settlement needs, such as shelter, supplies, and support services, in Cranbrook as well as the surrounding communities in the Kootenay region. As per this agreement, CFKR accepted charitable donations for this project, provided tax receipts to donors, and carefully stewarded the donated funds.

“The support from the community has been truly heartwarming, including individual, corporate, and non-profit donors, other community groups and services, and, of course, the dedicated board and volunteers of the Shelter for Ukrainians Society,” said Lynnette Wray, CFKR Executive Director.

Over the past two years, the Shelter for Ukrainians Society has supported 106 Ukrainians, including 34 children, to find safety in the Southeast Kootenay. Families and individuals settled in various communities, including Sparwood, Kimberley, Cranbrook, Creston, Invermere, and Radium Hot Springs. Many individuals and families have settled permanently in our region; some people have chosen to relocate, including a few returning to Ukraine and others moving to other areas of Canada or the U.S.A. to pursue work.

As per the agency agreement with CFKR, SFUS distributed donated funds to the Ukrainian families and individuals to reimburse the costs of air travel to Canada and to support their purchases of clothing, household items, school supplies, food, and furniture.

According to Bonnie Spence-Vinge, SFUS President, “We are incredibly thankful for the generous community support from schools, businesses, churches, medical and dental services, local government, and individuals, not to mention the over sixty individuals who volunteered to assist with housing, transportation, English language classes, finding employment, learning how to access services, and childcare.”

Along with their other activities, SFUS organized regular vigils to raise awareness and provide information about upcoming SFUS events and to celebrate Ukrainian culture. SFUS also participated in media interviews and published newspaper articles to update the local community on the progress of the families and the work of SFUS.

SFUS will be donating any remaining items to the Cranbrook Salvation Army Thrift Store, which very kindly supported these families and individuals with household items at no cost. Any remaining funds will be donated to the Cranbrook Food Bank in recognition of their generous support of the Ukrainian families.