ST. LOUIS — Serhii and Zinaida Tkachenko, who arrived here last October after fleeing war-torn central Ukraine, were given the keys Friday to a newly-refurbished house on South Grand Boulevard, provided by nonprofit organizations that recently bought it.
The couple and their two children will stay in the home, now called St. Michael House, for up to three years while they get better acclimated to their new country.
Another refugee family will move in once the Tkachenkos achieve self-sufficiency and find a new place to live, organizers said.
About 25 volunteers who helped refurbish and furnish the home, in the Carondelet neighborhood, were on hand for Friday’s ceremony. A priest blessed the home.
Chuck Levesque, executive director of Depaul USA — which played a key role in the effort — told the couple that the home will be “a place where you can grow, raise your family, achieve whatever you want to achieve in life.â€
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Levesque thanked the volunteers for their efforts. “The house is spectacular down to the mums on the porch,†he said. Also out front Friday were Ukrainian and ºüÀêÊÓƵ flags.
Serhii Tkachenko, 31, said he and his wife, 33, left Ukraine because of the danger from rocket attacks on their city.
“We hope to stay here,†he said in a brief interview. “Right now in Ukraine it’s very terrible.†Even after the war ends, he said, conditions may still be terrible.
The couple and their son, Pasha, 10, came to ºüÀêÊÓƵ with the help of a local sponsor. Their daughter, Mia, was born here seven months ago. A cousin of Serhii and his family also moved here from Ukraine.
“So many people have big, kind hearts. I’m very gratified,†Zinaida Tkachenko said.
Serhii, who taught people to drive tractors in Ukraine, said he has been working here in construction for a company that remodels apartments.
Zinaida, a pharmacist in her home country, said she hopes to eventually to do the same work here. She stays at home with their kids, for now.
While living at St. Michael House the couple will pay rent that could vary between $300 and $600 a month, said Rich LaPlume, ºüÀêÊÓƵ director for Depaul USA.
“Our rent is going to be very reasonable and affordable,†he said. “They will have some financial responsibility and they are aware of that.â€
While in the home, the family will have access to language classes, employment services and other help through agencies such as the International Institute.
Until now, they’ve lived with host families in University City and the Shaw neighborhood.
Depaul bought and outfitted the home with help from the Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corp., the Congregation of the Mission and private donors.
Matt Janeczko, Sisters of Charity Housing’s New York-based CEO, said his organization provided the money to buy the house now so a family could move in quickly. Depaul is raising money to cover some of the cost.
“The tapestry of the nation, in fact our church, is woven in the stories of people†from many countries, Janeczko said.