MPP Recognizes J. Holuk’s Key Role in Welcoming Newcomer Families from Ukraine

As many of you know, John Holuk (a member of our parish council) took it upon himself to create the Hearts4Ukraine program, which he started to welcome and help settle newcomer Ukrainians in Canada, specifically focusing on the area of Halton Region. He immediately began to approach the different levels of government - municipal, provincial and federal, creating relationships with potential funders and stakeholders and coordinating with different funding programs available, to ensure that newcomers families had the support they would need to establish themselves here. He has worked tirelessly to develop partnerships with with various community leaders, one of which has been with the member of the provincial parliament (MPP) - Effie Triantafilopoulos - of Oakville-North and Burlington.

We thank John sincerely for his unwavering dedication, patience, compassion and for his (likely) thousands of hours spent to organize everything. May God bless you and your work!

And thanks to John, Ms. Triantafilopoulos has become a strong supporter of the program, attending the St. Nicholas event both in 2022 as well as in 2023 as well as sharing his work with Hearts4Ukraine in her monthly newsletter (which we have shared below).

As excerpted from MPP of Oakville North-Burlington - Effie Triantafilopoulos' newsletter.

Celebrating with Newcomer Ukrainian Families in Halton

Photo of Fr. Buciora, Effie Triantafilopoulos, and John Holuk at the 2023 St. Nicholas event at SVCC. Photo by Ruslana Magar.

“I had the privilege of joining Father Jaroslaw Buciora from St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, John Holuk and other community leaders to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with families who sought refuge from the illegal war waged by Russia.

My thanks to community partners HMC Connections, Hearts4Ukraine and the Region of Halton for aiding in the resettlement of refugee families in Halton. The Ontario government is steadfast in its commitment to assist the families who have settled in Ontario and to the people of Ukraine who are fighting to save their country and their democratic way of life.

Photo of John visiting the community office of MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos. Photo taken from the newsletter.

Thanking John for His Work with Ukrainian Families

It was a pleasure to welcome John Holuk, Program Director of Hearts4Ukraine to our community office.

John and the team at Hearts4Ukraine have provided vital support and resettlement for families who have fled the ongoing conflict due to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Thank you, John, for your leadership...Slava Ukraini!”