To further assist the settlement process, the dedicated Ukrainian Refugee Task Force is partnering with United Way Winnipeg’s 211 Manitoba by expanding its resource capacity to address the specific and unique needs for newly-arrived Ukrainians, Premier Heather Stefanson announced today.
“When Manitobans need timely information and referrals for government, health and social services, 211 Manitoba’s free and confidential service connects them with the help they need,” said Stefanson. “This expanded service will now provide another connection between Ukrainian and other newcomers and key community members and service providers, to further ensure that necessary resources are available to them.”
If a newly-arrived Ukrainian needs help accessing the reception centre, exchanging their driver’s licence or applying for financial support, for example, 211 Manitoba’s service navigators are available to provide accurate, up-to-date information, noted the premier.
To find a community or social resources that meet people’s needs, contact 211 Manitoba by phone at 2-1-1, by email at 211mb@findhelp.ca or online at https://mb.211.ca. 211 Manitoba’s phone line is available 24-7 and is staffed by professional information and referral specialists trained to support diverse populations. Callers can receive assistance in over 150 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian, through affiliated interpretation services.
“It takes courage for anyone to reach out for help. Newcomers to our community face particular challenges and 211 Manitoba is there to help them find the supports they need including connections with a range of settlement support services. 211 Manitoba is all about finding the right support at the right time,” said Connie Walker, president and CEO, United Way Winnipeg. “We are so grateful to United Way donors and the Manitoba government for supporting 211 service in our province.”
Continued provincial support for Ukrainians facing the brutal war of aggression in their homeland has been strong and unwavering, noted Stefanson. Manitoba is offering a safe haven to those fleeing violence and a full range of provincial supports and services to refugees arriving here. These are co-ordinated through the Ukrainian Refugee Taskforce, which provides a single-access-point reception and welcoming centre that has become the benchmark for Canada. Services include providing:
- meals and initial intake services to determine individual and family needs;
- short-term hotel accommodations, while more permanent settlement supports are co-ordinated and arranged;
- health-care and mental health care supports;
- education and child care;
- language services; and
- temporary financial assistance.
The effectiveness of the Ukrainian Refugee Taskforce to date, together with the overwhelming support of the Ukrainian-Canadian community and all Manitobans, has successfully welcomed thousands of Ukrainians seeking refuge:
- over 5,700 Ukrainians have presented at the reception and welcoming centre;
- over 3,170 provincial health cards have been processed;
- over 1,870 funding and reimbursement claims for the cost of the federal immigration medical examination have been processed; and
- over 290 eligible individuals have received provincial temporary assistance benefits to support housing and supplemental health care including prescription, dental and optical benefits.
For more information about Manitoba’s ongoing support for Ukrainian refugees, visit https://manitoba4ukraine.ca/.
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