LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. will welcome nearly 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, and some could come to Kentucky. Catholic Charities of Louisville Inc. is preparing for the chance to help.

The former St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on Market Street is filled with donated items like kitchen supplies, clothes and books for refugees coming to the Louisville area.

“Most of our refugees that come, they come with nothing,” said Colin Triplett, director of Migration and Refugee Services for Catholic Charities. “Sometimes they come with some luggage for a typical house like pots and pans, plates, silverware, and all that stuff is put in the apartment and used through donations.”

For 17 years, Triplett has been helping refugees from all over the world.

“I volunteered overseas in Britain working with a lot of asylum seekers and refugees,” Triplett said. “It’s really exciting to help people feel welcomed and be able to use my language skills and get people established.”

With the recent news from the Biden Administration that the U.S. would welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia, the Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services in Louisville is preparing to help.

“At any given time we like to have as many people come forward to let us know they’re prepared to volunteer,” Triplett said. “Also to donate items, we’re always in need of items, keep in mind why we’re not seeing Ukrainians now, we’re still settling refugees every week.”

For Triplett, it’s a job that keeps on giving.

“This work is vital, it is definitely a humanitarian style work, people are in grave need, they really are appreciative when they come, the clients that we serve are really ready to start a new life,” Triplett said.

The Migration and Refugee Services has nearly 100 donors a month. The United States is working to develop new programs that focus on welcoming Ukrainians that have family members in the U.S.