FARMINGTON — The group Western Maine Friends of Ukraine had an informational meeting June 14 on hosting Ukrainian refugees.

Several ideas were shared for local people to help Ukrainians seeking refuge. 

Western Maine Friends of Ukraine has been working for about a year to establish itself as a Sponsor Circle and will provide support for those in the Farmington area interested in helping those affected. 

An informational meeting on hosting Ukrainian refugees is held June 14 at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints on Woodfield Drive in Farmington. Janine Winn of Temple, left, spent three years in Ukraine while serving in the Peace Corps. Britten Bolenbaugh, a former Peace Corps volunteer who also served in Ukraine, joined the meeting via Zoom. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Janine Winn of Temple lived in Ukraine for three years while serving in the Peace Corps. She was evacuated due to the pandemic and couldn’t go back when war broke out. 

She got involved in the process of providing support for Ukrainian people. Western Maine Friends of Ukraine is working under the guidelines of United for Ukraine [U4U], a refugee program set up by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Winn noted. 

The group’s goal is to have at least three host families locally to host for several weeks while the Ukrainians are finding jobs, obtaining medical insurance and getting on their feet to stay somewhere else. Those in the Sponsor Circle will work to match the Ukrainians with the help they need. 

In addition to hosting, ways to help Ukrainians locally include providing transportation for appointments, childcare, shopping for groceries, translating between languages, teaching English, supplying furniture, clothing and household items. 

“It can be very isolating if no one else around speaks your language,” Winn said. “I can attest to this.” 

Britten Bolenbaugh served in the Peace Corps at the same time as Winn. She also was in Ukraine but left just before the pandemic. She is now with Integrated Refugee & Immigration Services in Connecticut and works with several countries. 

“The goal is for them to be independent,” Bolenbaugh said. “We don’t want these people to become indigent.” 

The Ukrainians make a two-year commitment, they don’t have to stay in Maine, can go wherever they find jobs, Bolenbaugh said. 

Vadym and Yana are a young Ukrainian couple hosted by Mike and Pam Matzinger of Greene. Vadym and Yana joined the meeting via Zoom, the Matzingers came to Farmington.

Vadym, left, and Yana are Ukrainian refugees who shared their experiences during a meeting June 14 in Farmington on how to help Ukrainian refugees. The couple lived with a host family in Greene for more than three months, before moving into their own apartment. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

In a new country a lot of things need to be done, such as opening a bank account, obtaining a work visa and finding an apartment, Vadym said. In Ukraine apartments come furnished — that was a big change, he noted. 

The couple lived with the Matzingers for a little over three months, now have their own apartment. Yana is already working. Vadym has a degree in cyber security. 

When asked, Vadym said finding a job is challenging for people speaking a different language, those without excellent English. Public transportation in Ukraine is inexpensive, there’s no need for a car, he noted. “Here it is necessary to have a car, money for it,” he stated. “There is no place to go to walk.” 

Every time they accomplished something new, it was celebrated, Pam Matzinger said. Hosting was a really wonderful experience, she stated. 

“Don’t think you have to spend a lot of money or anything,” Pam Matzinger said of her decision to host. “This was such a great thing for us, we hope you will decide to help. We will be in their lives for the rest of their lives.” 

“And they will be in ours,” Mike added. 

For more information on ways to help, email j9shome@gmail.com or call Winn at 207-578-8220.