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ST. LOUIS COUNTY — As the country began to brace for the arrival of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, a local nonprofit spent the weekend working on St. Louis’ welcome mat.
Volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center kicked off their Saturday clearing out part of a donated house in north St. Louis County, as pastors told reporters they hope to have 100 houses for Ukrainian newcomers over the next few years.
“We see the need,” said Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, “and we want to help any way we can.”
The region will need all the help it can get as it prepares for another surge in refugees fleeing war around the globe.
President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the U.S. will accept 100,000 Ukrainians through a variety of programs. And a top leader at the International Institute of St. Louis, the region’s largest resettlement agency, said he expects to see some of them here.
“We’re gearing up,” said Arrey Obenson, the institute’s president and CEO. “We have the capacity.”
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The institute will also continue to resettle refugees from Afghanistan, who were evacuated from that country in the fall after the American-backed government fell, said Arindam Kar, chairman of the institute’s board.
Upwards of 700 have arrived here so far, Kar said, and the institute is starting to hear from Afghans resettled elsewhere who might want to relocate.
It will take some time for the number of Ukrainian arrivals to catch up. The Biden administration is still working out the details of bringing so many people to the United States. But the State Department soon will begin reaching out to resettlement agencies to see what they can handle, and Obenson said his organization could welcome 1,000 of them this year.
Rice, the New Life pastor, said he has a meeting scheduled with the institute this week to talk about complementing those efforts.
New Life has already prepared a two-bedroom house in North County. Workers cleaned the floors, changed out the stove and fixed issues with the basement and the roof. “Now it’s ready for a family,” Rice said.
The center still needs to do some plumbing and carpentry work at the one-bedroom house that volunteers were cleaning Saturday, but Rice said it will eventually be suitable for a couple or a mother with children.
The plan is to offer the homes to refugees rent-free for six months, to give them time to get jobs and start saving money. If they like the houses and want to stay, New Life will ask them to make small monthly payments to reimburse the cost of the renovations, said the Rev. Larry Rice, Chris Aaron Rice’s grandfather and New Life’s founder.
Larry Rice said he hopes the effort will yield 10 houses in its first year. His organization could use more volunteers, especially skilled laborers, to help prepare the homes and will need donations of furniture and food when refugees arrive, too.
New Life is also looking for more people to donate homes. Larry Rice said he already has a couple people “very much considering” the idea.
Photos: Volunteers with New Life Evangelistic Center clean up home for Ukrainian refugees
Ukrainian refugees home

Neal Lindsey, a volunteer with the New Life Evangelistic Center, mows the lawn of a house being prepared by the organization, led by Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, Saturday, March 26, 2022. Ukrainian refugees are expected to live in the home when they arrive in St. Louis. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukrainian refugees home

Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, left, and his grandfather, the Rev. Larry Rice, both with the New Life Evangelistic Center, prepare a home in St. Louis County, Saturday, March 26, 2022, for Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in St. Louis. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukraianian refugees home

A home in St. Louis County being prepared by volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, led by Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, Saturday, March 26, 2022, for Ukrainian refugees. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukraianian refugees home

A home in St. Louis County being prepared by volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, led by Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, Saturday, March 26, 2022, for Ukrainian refugees. The home needs cleaning, carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukraianian refugees home

Abigail Rice, 2, daughter of Pastor Chris Aaron Rice and his Ukrainian wife, Irene Sardachuk, rear, arrives at a house on Saturday, March 26, 2022, where volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, are preparing to welcome Ukrainian refugees. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukrainian refugees home

Irene Sardachuk, wife of Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, right, hangs a Ukrainian flag from the porch of a home, Saturday, March 26, 2022. They and volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, led by Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, are preparing for Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in St. Louis. Sardachuk is Ukrainian and her family is still there. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukrainian refugees home

April Townsend plants gladiolus bulbs in the front yard of a home, Saturday, March 26, 2022, in St. Louis County. Volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, led by Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, are preparing the house for Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in St. Louis. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukraianian refugees home

The Rev. Larry Rice greets his great-granddaughter Abigail Rice, 2, when she arrives with her parents, Pastor Chris Aaron Rice and Irene Sardachuk to a house, Saturday, March 26, 2022, in St. Louis County where volunteers are preparing a home for Ukrainian refugees. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukrainian refugees home

The home in St. Louis County being prepared by volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, led by Pastor Chris Aaron Rice, grandson of the Rev. Larry Rice, Saturday, March 26, 2022, for Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in St. Louis. The home needs cleaning, carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
Ukrainian refugees home

Candace Williams, left, and Neal Lindsey, volunteers with the New Life Evangelistic Center, clean out the garage of a home in St. Louis County, Saturday, March 26, 2022, for Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in St. Louis. Photo by Hillary Levin, [email protected]
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