Light One Candle: Ukrainian refugees start over in Southern Oregon
Dec. 9—Editor's note: Light One Candle is an annual series sponsored by the Mail Tribune that focuses on an individual, group or organization who could use a helping hand during the holiday season. Once that need is filled, donations may be distributed to others in need.
A refugee family who escaped their war-torn homeland with the clothes on their backs, a few diapers for their baby and the family's important documents are trying to rebuild their lives in Southern Oregon.
While Southern Oregon residents watched in horror as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February, most were fortunate enough to do so from the comfort of their own homes.
Some of the Rogue Valley's newest residents, however, were in the throes of the attacks, listening to bombing and witnessing the complete annihilation of their beloved homeland.
The family of four had built a life in Mariupol. The father, Sergey Tatarenko, worked as an industrial thermal engineer while his wife, Hanna, ran a busy practice as a licensed chiropractor and massage therapist and was a skilled baker in her free time.
When the bombings began, the mother hid in the family's bathtub with the couple's two sons. As the attacks drew nearer, the family and many others hid in the apartment building's basement, all sharing what food they had in their homes and leaving only to find drinking water from a nearby spring when the building's water pump was damaged.
After their apartment building was hit twice, they were forced to flee. After months in refugee camps, the family was offered a chance to come to the United States to live with a host family in Ashland through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
They flew into San Francisco Aug. 6, lives riddled with so much uncertainty, having never imagined starting over in a new country. The mother, with help from an interpreter said, "We are all here, and we are alive and well, and that is really all we need."
Before making the flight, Hanna Tatarenko struggled to comprehend how a family of strangers was willing to take them in.
"We are incredibly thankful to our host family that opened their home to us. We are strangers to them, but they accepted us as if we were relatives," said the mother, dabbing tears from her eyes Wednesday.
"Before we left, we could not understand why would anyone here want to bring us into their homes? They don't know us. Why do they need us? When we came here, we saw it was very different."
Recalling fear and endless tears when making the decision to leave Ukraine to come to the U.S., Hanna said a video call to her host, Karen Kahn, made her feel like things would be OK.
"I was crying and unsure of how it would be and whether we were making the best decision. When Karen said hello, she had a big smile, and she felt like a kindred spirit and it eased my heart."
Kahn said she and her family felt drawn to help.
"We decided to bring them here because, both my husband and I, our grandparents all immigrated from Eastern Europe — mine were from Hungary and Austria. My husband's were from Russia. And we just felt like, when our family members came over, somebody had to house them when they arrived in this country," Kahn said.
"We felt like it was our turn to do the same."
Kahn added, "A friend of mine asked them what has surprised you the most about being here, and they said they had no idea people were going to be so generous, as far as just wanting to help and make things easier for them. As soon as they got here, there was just this outpouring of clothes and gift cards and money and food, just all that stuff. It's been very heartwarming to see so many want to help. I think if they'd ended up in a bigger city, it could've been different. ... We live in a wonderful community."
With help from a local church, the Tatarenko family is hoping to find a long-term place to stay soon and will need funds for household items. A GoFundMe initiated by a friend of their host family will help contribute a down payment for a car — Sergey got his driver's license recently and is eager to work to support his family again.
Both mother and father are legally cleared to work and are eager to find employment as soon as possible. Help with documents and legal processes has been provided by the Center for NonProfit Legal Services, which nominated the family for this year's Light One Candle series.
Sergey is a thermal engineer and could do a range of construction or engineering-related jobs, while Hanna has worked in the chiropractic and massage industry and is a skilled baker. Without her certification for the U.S. being transferable, she's unable to use those skills until obtaining a license but could work in an office and provide support services.
Donations that would help brighten their first holiday since leaving their home in Ukraine, include the following:
Any financial support, including gift cards to supermarkets, such as Fred Meyer, Target or Walmart;
Any means of transportation, including vehicles or bicycles;
A hair dryer;
Smartphones, iPads and laptops to replace devices they were unable to bring from Ukraine, and needed for school, job searching and communicating with family members;
Gift cards to clothing stores for the family, as well as a second Ukrainian family receiving support from the legal-aid offices, to pick out some warm winter clothing.
A special request: Hanna Tatarenko left behind all of her chiropractic items and would love a portable massage table and/or a Thai massage mat (5 by 6.5 feet).
For the two boys, 10-year-old Yaroslav would love an electric drum set with headphones and other age-appropriate toys. Tymofii, 2-1/2, loves to play with Hot Wheels-type small cars and other toys for busy toddlers.
Checks and gift cards can be mailed to CNPLS, attn: Nadia (Light One Candle/Ukrainian Family), P.O. Box 1586, Medford, 97501.
To make arrangements for other donations, or to drop off, email the attorney and liaison for the family, Nadia Andreeva, at nadia@cnpls.net
