Global Cleveland to help thousands of Ukrainian refugees find new homes in US

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland has always been home to a strong Ukrainian population, with many of them being immigrants and refugees.

Global Cleveland is helping the thousands of refugees trying to escape right now.

“Cleveland is, Northeast Ohio is, and always will be a place that welcomes people,” Global Cleveland President Joe Cimperman said. “What we’re doing is letting people know and the world is listening.”

Much of the Ukrainian population in northeast Ohio still has loved ones overseas.

They’re hoping they can escape the war zone and build a new home in the US.

“Right now, the situation is so fluid that we don’t even have protocols yet for how to expedite people who were approved to leave Ukraine months ago,” Cimperman said. “There’s just a lot of communication and the most important thing we can do right now is to stay in touch with each other.”

Ukrainian families are doing all they can to escape before the situation becomes more deadly.

Many of them have been displaced from homes that were destroyed by bombings.

Cimperman said Cleveland will step up to help with whatever resources these refugees need.

“Whatever we can do to end the conflict, talking to people in Washington, advocating for an end to hostility, but making sure when people come here they have a job, a home that they feel welcome then we will be fulfilling our destiny,” Cimperman said.

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