Arrival hub opens in Ottawa to support Ukrainian newcomers
Among the pile of toiletries, Tania and her six-year-old daughter Aurora are looking for a child’s toothbrush.
The pair recently arrived in Ottawa with their family and like the hundreds of others fleeing from the war in Ukraine, they came with next to nothing.
“Three days ago they came,” said volunteer Alina Korual, translating for Tania. “With two kids, a cat and three luggage.”
Koryak was helping the newcomers who come from her home city in Ukraine pick out items from the Arrival Welcome Hub located at 250 Greenbank Road. Many of the clothing, toys and essentials were donated by the community.
“I’m happy they’re here,” she said. “They left everything, all their life in their country without nothing. We are here to help them start a new life. We are here to help them.”
This temporary space has been in operation since the start of April. Starting May 2, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress will have a permanent location.
“The Maidan Market is going to be at the Westgate Shopping Centre. The name was inspired by a location in Kyiv,” said Olenka Bastian with the UCC Ottawa Chapter. The distribution centre will be a storefront where people can collect essential items. Eventually offering resources like English classes and ways to find employment.
“The need in the hub is to make a Ukrainian connection,” she said.
The Arrival Welcome Hub says they received many clothing donations. But what they need now are monetary donations to help purchase tactical first-aid supplies to send to Ukraine. You can find more on their Facebook group, Ottawa Supports Ukraine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.