Statement: Ukraine and How to Help
By Marisa Tesoro
The Missouri Office of Refugee Administration (MO-ORA) has been closely following events in Ukraine, and our hearts are with those forced to flee as the Russian invasion of Ukraine creates a refugee crisis.
Missouri has welcomed and resettled more than 100 Ukrainian refugees since 2018, and MO-ORA and our many resettlement partners stand ready to be of assistance should more refugees from Ukraine become eligible for resettlement to Missouri. This includes both Ukrainian nationals as well as refugees from other countries who are or were in Ukraine.
We will also assist those Ukrainians already in Missouri with contacts to local legal assistance to apply for their family members to join them in the United States.
Finally, we appreciate the federal government recognizing the dire situation abroad and granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ukrainians already in the United States, which shields them from deportation until they can safely return to Ukraine.
How to Help
If you would like to support organizations on-the-ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries who are providing aid to Ukrainian refugees, here are some resources:
International Rescue Committee is working on the ground in Poland to help Ukrainian refugees.
Voices of Children, which provides psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by war
25 meaningful ways you can help Ukraine, from Global Citizen
We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and with Missourians whose families and roots are there.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we will do our best to provide as much support as possible.