Community groups prepare for Ukrainian refugees

Through the Uniting for Ukraine Sponsor Circle program, community groups in Kalispell and Whitefish are preparing for the arrival of two Ukrainian refugee families fleeing the violence of war.

Sponsorship circles have been formed under the guidance and encouragement of local nonprofit Valley Neighbors, which seeks to make the community more welcoming for immigrants. According to Valley Neighbors Chairman Johnny Ratka Skinner, the organization began as an informal group during the Syrian refugee crisis, which began in 2011.

“With the proliferation of social media, that was the first time I can remember seeing unfiltered war and a refugee crisis in real time,” Skinner said. “We saw what was going on and we wanted to help.”

Valley Neighbors gained official nonprofit status last year and already sponsors a family from Honduras seeking asylum.

“That is expected to be a multi-year project as the family goes through the legal process,” Skinner said. “We have already learned a lot about how the process works.”

When the opportunity arose to sponsor refugee families from Afghanistan, the group leapt at the chance.

“The government suddenly had an influx of refugees who needed assistance, but the infrastructure of the refugee program had been depleted,” Vice Chair Rebecca Miller said. “The program seemed like a great fit for our area because we are people who take personal responsibility for our neighbors.”

Valley Neighbors joined the Sponsor Circle program, which uses groups of five like minded individuals to sponsor refugees, and waited to be paired with a family from Afghanistan. Unfortunately, a match was not found.

“Afghan families were opting to go places where they already knew someone,” Miller said.

Then the crisis in Ukraine began.

With resources and interest already in place, Valley Neighbors quickly agreed to sponsor Ukrainian families when asked to by the Uniting for Ukraine Sponsor Circle program.

Along with a second Sponsor Circle in Whitefish, the two Flathead Sponsor Circles have worked to provide support for the incoming Ukrainians.

Support includes helping families navigate cultural aspects of their new home communities,

arranging housing, connecting families with services, and providing financial support during

these families’ transitional periods.

Both families are expected to arrive by the end of this month.

With the help of others around the community, Valley Neighbors is hoping to make the transition as easy as possible.

“We are not a religious organization and we are not a political organization. One of the great things that allows for is the ability to work with a lot of different kinds of people that I don’t think otherwise would have worked together in the community,” Skinner said. “I think we have heard over the last few years how we don’t have the resources in our community or how we don’t have the infrastructure to deal with refugees, but I don’t think that is true. I think that may have been true a few years ago, but not now.”

Miller says those wishing to help can contact the group by emailing Valley Neighbors at info@valleyneighborswelcome.org or learn more by visiting www.valleyneighborswelcome.org.

“When there is a mission and vision that goes beyond yourself, that can really bring people together. It’s very inspirational to see,” she said. “If anyone else in the community is interested in this program, we are more than happy to assist them in the process and provide them with advice. We will help in any way we can.”