NAMPA, Idaho (CBS2) — According to a recent news release, the Ukrainian Welcome Center will move to a new location in Nampa.
The location will be at an office space near the Garrity exit on 3904 E. Flamingo Ave. and allow the services to Ukrainians to continue. As needs have changed for Ukrainians, the Ukrainian Welcome Center has worked to adapt its services to meet the needs of Ukrainians arriving in Idaho.
The Idaho Alliance for Ukrainian Immigrants and Refugees launched services to welcome Ukrainians entering Idaho shortly after the war started.
"We were responding to a crisis. People were coming to the USA on humanitarian parole and needed access to basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter," says Director Tina Polishchuk. This turned into a collaborative ministry between the Boise Rescue Mission, the Nazarene community and many other organizations, and the Ukrainian Welcome Center was created.
The Boise Rescue Mission donated a facility known as the Lighthouse to be used as the Ukrainian Welcome Center. Since its opening, the Ukrainian Welcome Center has housed multiple families, distributed hundreds of food boxes, and provided hygiene products and a place of community for those fleeing the conflict.
Nineteen months into the war, the Ukrainian Welcome Center has served more than 570 people, and Ukrainians continue to arrive every week. However, the approach has evolved.
The "United for Ukraine" program has allowed UWC to educate sponsors on how to best welcome Ukrainians so they are not without the basics when they arrive. "We've moved from crisis intervention to crisis prevention, and for this reason, we don't need a facility quite so large," says Polishchuk.
The Boise Rescue Mission Board is discussing options for the future use of the Lighthouse building. "We are serving a larger group of elderly homeless people than ever before, and we want to offer more services to that group than we can now," said Rev. Bill Roscoe, Mission CEO.
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