Rosthern, Sask., group on mission of kindness to help displaced Ukrainian families

Linda Rudachyk's Ukrainian identity and culture are very important to her. All four of her grandparents immigrated to Canada in 1913, and she has raised her own family to value their Ukrainian roots. 

So when the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, Rudachyk felt overwhelmed by how many people there were in need.

"When the war started it really, really hit me hard. I just can't understand that atrocity. And my sister and I actually thought, what can we do?" Rudachyk said.

The sisters started off small but mighty. They mobilized people in the community of Rosthern, Sask. — 65 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon — to sell their art and other homemade items online about a month after the war began.

They raised more than $30,000 within two weeks from people all across Canada and donated the money to the charity NASHI, which helps at-risk young girls in Ukraine. They also donated to the Mennonite Central Committee's Ukraine relief initiative. 

Rudachyk then formed a committee, which she chaired, called the Ukrainian Displaced Families Committee in April 2022. It was time for part two of her mission.

"You watch people on TV, and Ukrainian people are clamouring to get out [of the country]. So we went the next step and formed this committee who are just earth angels. And then we began to explore, OK, how do we get somebody here?"

First, they needed more money. The committee approached business, organizations and other benefactors in the community for donations. Word soon got around.

"It just didn't matter where I went. People would just stop on the street and ask what they could do to help. And that just got bigger and bigger," Rudachyk said.

Once they had enough money, the committee applied through the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) to welcome families to Rosthern. But there was one problem.

"It's a huge problem, huge problem everywhere. But here there is absolutely no rental property. There is just simply nothing, ever."

Rudachyk said Saskatchewan Housing is always full. But eventually the province announced that displaced Ukrainians would get housing priority.

"It was just like a miracle of God … we had the manager of housing on our committee and he said, 'I think a family house is going to be vacated here.'"

Rudachyk said a three-bedroom house with a yard and a basement was soon available. Then things went into warp speed.