Advocacy group Kelowna Stands With Ukraine is returning with its third annual food buffet later this week.
The fundraiser will be taking place at the First Baptist Church on Dec. 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The buffet will be catered by Ukrainian chefs who moved to Kelowna to avoid the ongoing war in their home country.
Guests can expect authentic Ukrainian food, local and Ukrainian music, and art for display and sale.
Tickets to the event can be found here or by going to the Kelowna Stands With Ukraine Facebook group and messaging an admin to reserve a spot.
Denys Storozhuk, a member of the group, said people should get their tickets as soon as possible, as the event could sell out.
Proceeds will be going towards humanitarian supplies for displaced Ukrainians in Canada and those remaining in Ukraine.
Guests can also bring presents, as a toy drive will be held at the event to bring joy to some displaced Ukrainian children living in Canada.
The future of Ukrainians in Kelowna
It’s been nearly four years since Russia invaded Ukraine.
During the course of the war, Canada has brought in nearly 300,000 Ukrainians and their family members under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.
Over the years, Kelowna had become somewhat of a refuge for those fleeing the war. Storozhuk said his group was responsible for helping hundreds of Ukrainians settle in the Okanagan, as they marketed the city as a nice place with a climate similar to their home country.
Storozhuk said his group was most active during the outbreak of the war in 2022. He admitted that since then, the group hasn’t been as consistent.
“For a couple of years, (Ukrainian newcomers) were so occupied with settling, finding jobs, bringing kids to school, accommodation,” he said. “And, now they are kind of starting to breathe again.”
Storozhuk said more Ukrainians in Kelowna want to participate in community events, claiming the buffet will be their first big event in nearly two years.
Shaman Gelblum, another member of Kelowna Stands With Ukraine, said the group is moving to a new direction he dubs “the next day.”
“The war will be over sooner or later. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month. Doesn’t matter when, but it will be over; it can’t be forever,” he said.
“The next day after the war, the country and the people will need help, and we will keep helping them.”
Gelblum said this next step will focus more on helping Ukrainian civilians and newcomers in Canada. He said when the war ends, he estimates there will be a mix of Ukrainians who want to stay in Canada and those who want to return home.
Those who want to stay have another challenge in front of them.
While the CUAET program has extended applications for new work permits until March 31, 2026, many Ukrainians still lack permanent residency, making their future uncertain.
Storozhuk said his group, and other Ukrainian advocacy groups around Canada, are pushing the federal government to create a pathway towards permanent residency.
On Dec. 17, the issue gained national attention as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress called on the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to act establish a pathway during a press conference in Ottawa.
Storozhuk said that despite the efforts to settle in Canada, there is still nervousness amongst the Ukrainian newcomers.
“All of them are uneasy,” he said. “(Because of) the war that’s happening in their home country, it’s a stress that they don’t know whether they will be accepted in Canada for the long-term.”
Storozhuk said he will be speaking more about the push at the buffet.