BRECKENRIDGE HILLS, Mo. — A St. Louis nonprofit that provides support to people who are unhoused or low-income bought its first home for refugees from Ukraine.
The New Life Evangelistic Center hopes it's the first of 100 homes for people who've fled the country since Russian forces first invaded in late February.
"My wife is Ukrainian, so it's personal to me," said Chris Aaron Rice on Saturday during a news conference to announce the plan. "But beyond that, we just see the crisis that this is not just for Ukraine but the entire world." Rice is the grandson of Larry Rice, who founded the nonprofit in the 1970s.
Families would live in the home rent free for six months. After that period, the families would be charged an affordable rent.
Many of the homes still need work to make them move-in ready. Organizers are looking for volunteers to do renovation work and donations to keep the program running.
The charity already has a similar program that helps homeless families, so expanding the program wasn't an issue according to leaders.
Visit newlifeevangelisticcenter.org for more information about volunteering or donating.