Calgary couple help 30+ Ukrainian families settle in Calgary
Calgary couple help 30+ Ukrainian families settle in Calgary
Ann Kucheriava and her family were among those affected by the war in Ukraine. On the day the war started, they had no idea they would not be returning home. With only the clothes they had on their backs, the family of five left their home in Dnipro and stayed in the Czech Republic for three months before coming to Calgary in June 2022.
When they arrived, they were greeted with kindness in the form of a note from Tammy Brigidear, a mom in the area who wanted to help. She started providing the family with necessary items for their new life in Calgary. Since then, she has been helping over 30 families, providing them with donations and documents, and even hosting gatherings. Brigidear and her husband John have also been instrumental in helping the families adapt to their new surroundings and have seen great success in the process.
Tammy Brigidear (left) and Ann Kucheriava (right)
Kucheriava was able to improve her English with the help of Brigidear and the other families and landed a job at a registries office, where she helps other new arrivals get their documents. She expressed her gratitude for the help and support she’s received and said that she worries for her mother back in Dnipro, but knowing her kids are safe and surrounded by support makes all the difference.
Emergency travel applications
Since the war began in Ukraine, Canada has received over 903,000 applications through the Canada–Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), through which Ukrainian nationals and their family members can apply for a temporary resident visa to travel to and stay in Canada temporarily. Nearly 600,000 of these applications have been approved.
The support that Tammy and the other families have provided to Kucheriava and her family is a reminder of the kindness and compassion of Canadians, and the impact it can have on even the most difficult of circumstances. Kucheriava and her family have, in a sense, been given a new life and a new home in Calgary, and Brigidear and her family have done a remarkable job in aiding them in the transition. It is through their efforts, and the efforts of others, that these families are able to start over and find a new sense of security and stability.