Since its inception in August 2022, the Office of Social Outreach has concentrated its efforts on helping Ukrainian newcomers, sponsors, and the Ukrainian community at large by establishing itself as a reliable and trusted resource center.

Researching and vetting available and developing resources prior to sharing them with those in need provides a solid foundation to network with key businesses, organizations, and non-profits in the Philadelphia area, i.e., Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center and the Ukrainian Information Bureau, Ukrainian Federation of America, Catholic Social Services, Nationalities Service Center, LaSalle University, Bridges 2030 to name a few.  We have also partnered with national organizations and individual companies across the United States such as Welcome.US, Catholic Charities USA, the USCCB and Migration and Refugee, Notre Dame University, Delmarva Corrugated Packaging, and the Diocese of Greensburg in Westmoreland County, PA.

On average we address around 3-5 inquiries per day ranging from basic questions to complex cases throughout the US. Some of our major accomplishments this past year included coordinating efforts in resettling a mother and son in need of medical treatment from Vermont to Philadelphia. We hosted/facilitated two job fairs—one for a private company out of Dover, DE and one for the Diocese of Greensburg in western Pennsylvania. We are currently spearheading a housing project with LaSalle University for Ukrainian newcomers and working with Notre Dame University on promoting their job placement initiatives across the US. We participated in both “We4U” events hosted by the UECC, World Refugee Day in Philadelphia hosted by Welcome.US, the Shared Safety: Interfaith Leaders’ Summit hosted by the City of Philadelphia Immigration Office, and in the soon-to-be-released documentary by Bridges 2030 Beyond the Statistics: Amplifying the Voices of Forcibly Displaced People.