Could Ukrainian refugees come to Sacramento? What we know so far and how you can help

As thousands flee Ukraine during Russia’s invasion, Sacramento could be a top destination for refugees if they make their way to the United States. But the situation is changing and there are no set plans for resettlement here as many head to neighboring European countries.

According to the U.S. Census, about 15,000 native-born Ukrainians lived in Sacramento County from 2015 to 2019, a higher number than all but three counties in the country.

After a prayer breakfast Saturday, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg told CBS Sacramento that the city would “find a way” to welcome Ukrainian refugees if needed.

How many Ukrainians have fled?

At least 150,000 Ukrainian people have left the country with hundreds of thousands displaced in Ukraine — but these numbers are constantly changing, said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in a Feb. 27 Associated Press report. The U.N. is expecting up to 4 million Ukrainian refugees if the crisis continues.

United States is open to accepting people fleeing from Ukraine but is anticipating that many will want to seek refuge in neighboring European countries, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a Friday briefing. The U.S. will be helping these countries and its efforts.

Psaki said that she doesn’t have an anticipated number of refugees that may come to the United States.

In a Sunday statement, the U.S. Department of State said it “commends the hospitality of the neighboring countries in the region hosting fleeing Ukrainians,” and that it is “engaging diplomatically to support their efforts to keep their borders open and assist those seeking international protection.”

Could Ukrainian refugees resettle in Sacramento?

World Relief Sacramento, a Christian humanitarian organization that works on resettlement, said on its website that even though there has previously been a Ukraine to Sacramento pipeline, it does not have “information about the resettlement prospects of those impacted by the present conflict.”

The organization has relocated more than 13,000 Ukrainian refugees since 2004 and over the past eight years, it helped resettle 8,000 Ukrainians in Sacramento.

There are five resettlement agencies located in Sacramento, according to Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. The organization, the smallest of the five, also told The Bee it does not have information about Ukrainian resettlement at present.

Erik Latkovskyi, a pastor’s secretary at Spring of Life Church, a Ukrainian baptist church in Orangevale, said Sacramento could be a top destination for Ukrainians, if the U.S. begins accepting refugees.

“I think a big part of Ukrainians will come to Sacramento because we have one of the biggest Ukrainian communities,” Latkovskyi told The Bee. “So most relatives, parents, sister, brother, they will fly to Sacramento as a family.”

In Washington, D.C., Rep. Ami Bera’s office is providing steps people can take to reach family in Ukraine. Bera, an Elk Grove Democrat and House chairman of the subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, was active during the withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer in helping families contact those still in the country.

His office said those with questions, or constituents trying to reach family in Ukraine, can reach out at CA07.casework@mail.house.gov or call the congressman’s local office at 916-635-0505.

American citizens in Ukraine who need help can use a form provided by the embassy in Kyiv to make plans to leave the country or receive updates. You can also contact the embassy if you have already departed Ukraine or need assistance.

How can I help from Sacramento?

The following organizations that are collecting donations to send to Ukraine include the following:

• International Rescue Committee will be using donations to provide food, medical care and emergency supplies to those in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen.
• Save the Children is assisting children and families in Ukraine who need food, water, support and cash.
• UNICEF is accepting donations to provide for Ukraine’s children.

Locally, the Spring of Life Church has a donation page.

Latkovskyi said that the donations will be sent to pastors and local leaders in Ukraine who will then provide food and evacuation support to Ukrainians. He said that they are helping people from cities that are under attack and moving them to other parts of Ukraine or to the borders of Poland, Romania and others.

Donations will also go towards immediate emergency needs, medical care and shelter, according to the GoFundMe page. The church will also accept medical supplies.

The Bee’s Ariane Lange and McClatchy D.C.’s David Lightman contributed to this story.

This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.