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Ukrainian Welcome Center commemorates one year anniversary, 'I struggle with the word celebration'

Ukrainian Welcome Center
Posted at 5:39 PM, May 28, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-28 19:39:24-04

NAMPA, Idaho — The Ukrainian Welcome Center in Nampa opened a year ago. On Saturday, they held a ceremony to commemorate the work they've done since the opening.

"I struggle with the word celebration," Said Tina Polishchuck, the executive diector of the welcome center. She says she wishes there didn't have to be a celebration this weekend, because that would mean there is no war.

"But here we are and marking our one year anniversary is really about expressing our gratitude to all those individuals and the organizations that have made this possible and to all of the people in our community that are dedicated to being part of the healing process for our clients," Polishchuck continued.

The center offers several different services helping refugee families find housing, work, schools for their children, and maybe most important, community.

In the last year, the center has helped hundreds of refugees. Most stay around and are involved in the welcome center, which creates a little piece of Ukraine here in Idaho.

"What we know, when people go through trauma, if there is a social network there to support victims of trauma, then that makes the healing process that much easier for them," Polishchuk said.