CCDBR board member has connection to Ukraine

For people like Lisa Namikas, the war on Ukraine hits close to home. In addition to being a board member for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and volunteer for refugees, she is also an adopted person who is half Ukrainian, an immigrant to the U.S, a professor of history and an author with expertise in international affairs. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge can assist eligible Ukrainians in the community to submit their applications for TPS.

Years ago, Namikas met her birth grandmother, Theodora, who brought Namikas to the now-abandoned family homestead in Saskatchewan. She learned that when her grandmother’s family resettled there, “Canada made sure to give rocky land to Ukrainians. But they worked hard and made it. She was so strong.” 

Recently Namikas helped to rally hundreds of volunteers and collected truckloads of household goods to welcome refugees from Afghanistan resettled by CCDBR since that country fell to the Taliban in August. 

“Closely following the Afghanistan refugee crisis when our community generously supported Afghans who resettled in Baton Rouge, many people have asked if there is a similar effort underway for Ukrainians,” said Namikas. 

Namikas added that locally there’s not much to do, but that may change as the situation in Ukraine is fluid. Here’s what the agency knows as of March 17.

The U.S. Department of State says there are currently no official efforts to move Ukrainian children and families out of Europe. The Ukrainian government prefers to shelter refugees close to their home country and is taking steps to ensure their safety in Europe. (However, individual Ukrainians with connections in other countries may relocate on their own initiative.)

The Biden administration has granted some Ukrainians already in the U.S. extensions on their visas through a program called Temporary Protected Status (TPS). It is estimated approximately 30,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. will apply for this designation.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge can assist eligible Ukrainians in the community to submit their applications for TPS.

Catholic Relief Services is organizing support on behalf of the U.S. Catholic Church. More information on how you can help is on their website: CRS.org. 

“As always, the open hearts and generosity of people of all faiths in Baton Rouge is a witness to our tradition of caring for the homeless, hungry and disaster-stricken … whether our own neighbors or brothers and sisters in Christ overseas,” said Namikas.