Since the war in Ukraine began, local organizations Share Hope and PG for Ukraine have been working hard to help settle displaced Ukrainian people that have come to Prince George.
For each family that has arrived since the war, that has included help finding transportation to Prince George, jobs, school and childcare, documentation, three months of expenses covered, and housing.
Every family that arrives is given permanent housing (often after a brief stint with a host family).
Each of these homes, apartments, and suites is presented to a family fully furnished entirely with items that were donated by members of the community.
For over a year now, KMS Tools has donated a full warehouse on First Avenue to Share Hope and PG For Ukraine to accept hundreds of donations of furniture and other household necessities.
“Up to this point, [we] have moved 56 families into housing,” Don Antosko, one of the volunteers who helps run the warehouse, told My PG Now. He estimated the warehouse is 11,000 square feet.
He said “every one of them had been furnished from kitchen to bedroom, because they (Ukrainians) come with nothing,” often only a carry-on bag on their flight.
“It is all donated by the fantastic people of Prince George,” he continued. “When you ask, there is no stopping them from giving you stuff.”
Don and his wife Mary are at the warehouse every Saturday morning from 10:00 until 1:00 as vehicles, some days by the dozens, arrive with weekly waves of donations.
“It can get so crowded in here we have to have people doing traffic control,” Don said, as another vehicle pulled into the parking lot.
Before KMS offered up their space for the cause, the Antoskos were accepting and holding donations at their home.
“In my carport we had a lot of stuff tarped up and two of my neighbours were kind enough to let us use their garages for stuff,” Don said.
When the KMS warehouse became available to them, Don recalled it taking five trailer loads to move everything out of their home and their neighbours homes.
The warehouse currently has mattresses stacked nearly to the roof, and a stock of couches, tables, bedframes, books, toys, carseats, strollers, cribs, and much more filling it – even after last weekend, when Don and Mary said they did a major cleanup of the unit.
Even though the warehouse is only open for a four hour period on Saturdays, Mary described running it as more than a full time job.
Mary handles donations through Share Hope’s social media channels and website, both by vetting items people are hoping to drop off and by requesting and tracking down items they are in need of.
Don added many Ukrainians come to the warehouse on Saturdays, not because they need anything, but because of the community it has created. “Sometimes they just want to come down and talk, practice their English. It’s busy. It’s busy.”
Don and Mary have been organizing this part of the housing initiative as volunteers for the last year and a half.
Don also wanted to remind the community that Share Hope is always looking for places to move these donations long-term, proper housing outside of host families for Ukrainian families to move into.
“If someone has a reasonable rental, that would be greatly appreciated,” he said.
As of early June, 216 Ukrainians making up 75 families had settled in Prince George since the war started.
You can find out more about Share Hope, and donate, here.