Local Ukraine support group up and running

Ukraine support based in Grangecon.

A support service for families from Ukraine arriving into the West Wicklow-Kildare area now has its Facebook page up and running as a reference point for local and state services, writes Brian Byrne.

Ukraine Family Services was established by Grangecon woman Maria Duffy Desmond and a group of friends, when she concluded that refugees coming into the area, and those helping them, would need practical direct support and supplies.

With initial collection points in Grangecon and Dunlavin, Ukraine Family Services has gathered together a store of essential needs including clothing, toiletries, and bedding for Ukranian families who may have arrived unexpectedly to stay with friends or family.

The group's Facebook page, just gone live, has updating and clear information about how arriving families can interact with state services in order to get a PPS number, and other links to access local services such as medical and dental. The page aggregates appropriate links to state and voluntary services, including Department of Social Protection, Citizens Information, the Irish Refugee Council, the Irish Red Cross and more, as well as highlighting offers of help with education, transport, and other family immediate needs.

"I'm often in contact with groups who look after homeless and provide support here in Ireland," says Maria, who is originally from Sallins. "When this happened, I realised that they can't stop what they are doing in order to look after the refugees. So I decided that instead of sending donations to the other side of Europe that I'd try and gather them here, so that these groups could access resources from us instead of using up their own."

Some friends got involved with her, in an initiative that she believes will be needed 'for the long haul'. "As far as I can see, there are two cohorts of Ukraine people coming at the moment. There are those who are now arriving and being helped by the state and by charities like the Irish Red Cross. But there are a large number already here on the ground, and I think those could fall through the cracks at first."

In addition to the state and other information on the Ukraine Family Services Facebook page, Maria and her group plan to provide links to local organisations such as women's groups, schools, baby and toddler groups and similar. They're also working on having the page available in languages appropriate to Ukraine people.

With a large amount of donated items already gathered, Maria has teams of local women sorting them for distribution as calls for help comes in. "We're not getting involved in providing accommodation, we can't do that. But we have provided bedding, duvets, other necessities to a number of host families already looking after some of those who have come in. And we will keep in touch with them to see how they are getting on."

Maria emphasises that they are not a charity and will not collect money, but are prepared to provide immediate practical support while arriving families in the area get settled in. "What I would love to happen is that we will look after our area, and other areas might replicate what we're doing. Because people aren't going to be coming in for a couple of months, they're going to be here long term, and this for us is going to be a long term local thing."

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