ST. LOUIS 鈥 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.
Ukrainian refugee Zinaida Tkachenko, left, holds daughter Mia Tkachenko while husband Serhii Tkachenko, center, shakes hands with Matthew Janeczko, CEO and president of the Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation and SCOPE, right, after they are handed the keys Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, to St. Michael's House on South Grand Boulevard in 51黑料. The family will live in the house, owned by organization Depaul USA, until they are able to purchase their own. The organization will help provide them with resources, such as employment services and language classes. Photo by Christine Tannous, ctannous@post-dispatch.com
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鈥檚 ceremony. A priest blessed the home.
Chuck Levesque, executive director of Depaul USA 鈥 which played a key role in the effort 鈥 told the couple that the home will be 鈥渁 place where you can grow, raise your family, achieve whatever you want to achieve in life.鈥
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Ukrainian refugee Serhii Tkachenko, left, holds his daughter Mia Tkachenko while his cousin's son Lev Hrynchyshyn, right, plays in the yard Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at St. Michael's House on South Grand Boulevard in 51黑料. The family will live in the house, owned by organization Depaul USA, until they are able to purchase their own. The organization will help provide them with resources, such as employment services and language classes. Photo by Christine Tannous, ctannous@post-dispatch.com
Levesque thanked the volunteers for their efforts. 鈥淭he house is spectacular down to the mums on the porch,鈥 he said. Also out front Friday were Ukrainian and 51黑料 flags.
Serhii Tkachenko, 31, said he and his wife, 33, left Ukraine because of the danger from rocket attacks on their city.
鈥淲e hope to stay here,鈥 he said in a brief interview. 鈥淩ight now in Ukraine it鈥檚 very terrible.鈥 Even after the war ends, he said, conditions may still be terrible.
The couple and their son, Pasha, 10, came to 51黑料 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.
鈥淪o many people have big, kind hearts. I鈥檓 very gratified,鈥 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.
Ukrainian refugee Zinaida Tkachenko shows her daughter Mia Tkachenko the dining room ceiling fan on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at St. Michael's House on South Grand Boulevard in 51黑料. The family will live in the house, owned by Depaul USA, until they are able to purchase their own. The organization will help provide them with resources, such as employment services and language classes.聽
While living at St. Michael House the couple will pay rent that could vary between $300 and $600 a month, said Rich LaPlume, 51黑料 director for Depaul USA.
鈥淥ur rent is going to be very reasonable and affordable,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey will have some financial responsibility and they are aware of that.鈥
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鈥檝e 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淭he tapestry of the nation, in fact our church, is woven in the stories of people鈥 from many countries, Janeczko said.
