Wait on for Ukrainian refugees 'There are questions that we don't have the answers to:' El Centro director awaits Ukrainian refugee placement, compares it to Hurricane Maria aftermath

LORAIN — El Centro is helping lead the county's effort to house Ukrainian refugees, but there is little information on when the first wave of placements could be. While rumors swirl around when the county could have its first refugees arrive, El Centro Executive Director Victor Leandry is helping organize relief as part of the LC4Ukraine Committee. Leandry compared the committee's structure to the 2020 census, where subcommittees tackled unique problems. LC4Ukraine has committees working on housing, funding, interpreters and other issues. But for El Centro, the crisis at hand is reminiscent to when 300 families poured into Lorain after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017. "Based on the experience we had with families from Puerto Rico back in Hurricane Maria, I know how difficult it was for us and we have El Centro but connecting those families was very difficult," he said. "They're going to need everything, from connecting to a church, connecting to a school, connecting to doctors, looking for a place (to live), so it is a lot of work." Housing will be difficult, he said, and the language barrier will be a hurdle. While many people in South Lorain speak Spanish and were able to help Puerto Ricans arriving in 2017, fewer residents speak Ukrainian or Russian. "There are questions that we don't have the answers (to)," he said. "We know we're going to receive families … but are receiving five, 10, 100 — we don't know. It's like when Hurricane Maria happened, we didn't know. So we have to wait until it starts happening so we know what the flow and how often they're coming and then we can predict how many. As of now, we don't have any information as to when they're arriving (in Lorain)." President Joe Biden has committed the United States to taking in 100,000 refugees. It is unclear how many will come to Ohio, but Parma's large Ukrainian population is expected to be a draw. South Lorain is home to two Ukrainian Churches, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church and St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Both churches are involved with LC4Ukraine. While there are clothing and other donation drives ongoing throughout Northeast Ohio, Leandry said monetary donations are going to be the most helpful. The Committee is working to establish a fund to help provide immediate assistance to families when they arrive, including the possibility of providing temporary housing at hotels, or helping pay for translators. When El Centro helped the 300 families from Puerto Rico five years ago, it felt like the weight was all on the small south side nonprofit, Leandry said. And that weight nearly crippled them. "For years we couldn't recover because there was not that conversation of 'let's raise money' or let's be sure that we have the money to support the organizations that are working with the families, so it was very difficult," he said. "Now, this one, if we organize ourselves, there's a lot of interest, there's even a fundraising committee, so I'm hoping in that sense that it's easier." Checks can be made to St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2304 E. 34th St., Lorain OH 44055, with "humanitarian relief" or "Ukraine relief" in the memo line. However many families the county ultimately receives, Leandry wants to put the organization in place to respond to crises like this moving forward. "If this happened with the families from Puerto Rico in 2017 and now is happening again with Ukraine, what's to say that it can't be a disaster in Florida or New Orleans or something and we have to receive families? The important part, for me, is that we develop a process in Lorain County that if this were to happen again we have a process in place to connect families." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.