Kingston, ON – As bombs began to fall with greater frequency and Russian troops closed in on their home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, a family made a heartbreaking decision: the mother and daughter would flee to the west of the country, then to Poland, and finally to Canada, while the father stayed behind to assist in the war effort. Carole Palmer, a sales associate with Sutton Group - Masters Realty Inc., recently welcomed them to Kingston.

“I wanted to assist in some way, so I opened my home to this amazingly resilient family,” says Carole. “Olena and her 19-year-old daughter Polina, a website design student, arrived in Toronto on June 16 along with their senior cat Lexus. Their trip was almost 40 hours of travelling, flying, and waiting for their flight.”

Olena and Polina have obtained work permits and are practicing English. Carole notes that the effort of sharing her home is minor, while the rewards for everyone are immense.

This family’s journey is not all that different from Carole’s ancestors, who immigrated from the Ukraine generations ago. However, this time, the modern world watched a barbaric war unfold on the daily news.

“In the early days of the war, it was constantly on the news. As of late, there is little mention of it and often at times very brief. There are millions of people still suffering. Those who flee leave behind everything they know and have worked for. They arrive with one suitcase, leaving a place they loved and with little understanding of why this is happening. Everyday, so many want to go 'home' but that is not possible.”

For anyone who is considering helping, Carole shares her insights: “More than ever the Ukrainian people need support. Their struggle is heartbreaking from the limited, one-time $3,000 incentive from the government, which is helpful but doesn't go far notably when rent is too high. It is challenging to navigate employment and culture shock, and deal with the trauma of their experiences and losses. If you can help financially or open your home, there are some great sites on Facebook such as Canadians helping Ukrainians, as well as information through your local city sites.

Sutton is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated company with more than 6,500 REALTORS® in over 200 offices nationwide. To find out more about Sutton, visit www.sutton.com. To learn more about Sutton Spirit, visit www.suttonspirit.com.

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Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd.:

Jon Chung
604-691-1689
stories@suttonspirit.com

Sutton Group - Masters Realty Inc. :

Carole Palmer
613-384-5500
cpalmer@sutton.com

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