Nashi Immigrant Health Board

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."She said at first they didn't have a lot of data about what kind of issues the community had regarding health care. But she said people in the community were willing to talk to her, a Ukrainian-American.

"Those anecdotal stories and information are so important, because we know they are true. We know they are true for 'Nashi,'" Cyhan-Cunitz said. "People are telling us because they trust us."

The health board is now collecting formal information about what the growing community of Ukrainian refugees needs when it comes to their physical and mental health.

Ekaterina Teterina, a consultant with the Nashi Immigrants Health Board, said she hopes that, if refugees are connected to government health resources through "Nashi," they will trust them.

"It's very important to bridge that gap and build that community trust between our governmental agencies and our communities," Teterina said. "By being a face of the community, being there to provide those translational services, and being there to help guide them through that communication process, it will hopefully help them feel differently. Maybe we can get them to say, 'We can trust them.'"

This event is open to everyone — not just Ukrainians."