Ukrainian man forming refugee community in Pennsylvania

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Coming to a new country as a refugee can be intimidating, but one Ukrainian citizen now based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is helping Ukrainian refugees adjust to life in America by using the power of social media.

Alexander Kachkovskyi came to America from the Ukraine in August of 2021 through a Volunteer Exchange Program.

Once the war in Ukraine started, he created a Facebook group, called People From and Friends of Ukraine in Lancaster, to help Ukrainian refugees coming to Lancaster County.

When I came here, and when the war started, I was thinking, 'How I can help my friends, and how I can help my friends from Ukraine who are here?'" says Kachkovskyi. “So, I organized this group, and in this group, people can meet with each other, share their needs, and respond to your needs.

Kachkovskyi has now brought over 130 members into the group, emphasizing the importance of community and staying connected.

“I think that it's important to connect with each other, and especially us living in the 21st century in the era of globalization," he said. "And when you come here, for the first time ... you nothing, you're freshmen here. So, I was in their shoes, and I want to help them as well to make new connections to find these places, and to help as much as I can.”

He uses his connections with churches and organizations in the area to help refugees with housing, meet-and-greets, and volunteer opportunities.

I try to connect one people with another people. ... In most cases, it's connections or it's like some information or about church, about family, or about where you can go to this place to do this, to do that.

He also tries to help those back in his home country through fundraisers: His latest fundraiser raised thousands of dollars for humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

“And it was really good time, we spent two days and we had different auctions, home party bingos, activities for our kids."