‘Mayor’s fund’ now accepting donations to help Ukrainian students studying in Kingston.

A fund to help Ukrainian students currently studying in Kingston has now been set up.

Donations are now being accepted at any branch of the Kingston Community Credit Union to help international students who may not have a home to return to when their semester is over.

Nadia Luciuk, who is a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Club of Kingston, says it’s an unimaginable time for post-secondary students from Ukraine who are studying abroad here in Kingston.

“They’re displaced orphans right now in the sense that they don’t have family to go back to,”  said Luciuk.

“In some cases they’re having difficulty even making contact with their family back in Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian Canadian Club of Kingston has established a fund for Ukrainian students in Kingston with the endorsement of Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson and support from St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Beth Israel Synagogue along.

“If a student is attending, say, St. Lawrence College and they’re finding that they’ve got everything covered until the end of the school year, but what happens to them at the end of April?” said Luciuk.

“They’ve got no where to go, they’ve got no income, they’ve got no contact with families in some cases. So this fund is specifically to help make ends meet or at least help them a bit.”

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Mayor Paterson says this is a fund that will meet a key need.

“I think that anything that we can do right now will make a difference,” said Paterson.

A number of Kingston-area schools are also standing with Ukraine.

Mr. Stevens’ grade 6/7 class at St. Paul Catholic School has launched a fundraiser as students follow what’s happening in the Eastern European country.

Grade 6 student Oliver Muise says the situation in Ukraine is far from fair.

“I really don’t think this should be happening,” said Muise.

Grade 7 student Allyson Gowsell, meanwhile, says it’s our job as Canadians to help out.

“It’s really horrible what’s happening in Ukraine and I think it’s our job to help out as much as we can,” she said.

The students have set a goal to raise $500 for Ukraine and are well on their way, collecting $250 in their first day.

Donations to help Ukrainian international students here in Kingston will be accepted at any branch of the Kingston Community Credit Union.