Owners of the Florida-based, Argentinian restaurant chain Baires Grill announced Tuesday (March 8) that they are going to help 50-60 Ukrainian refugees who have fled their country because of the Russian invasion.
The owners of Baires Grill plan to pay for the refugees to travel to the United States where they will also cover their costs for housing and legal services. Baires Grill, which includes five steakhouses with two more on the way, will offer the Ukrainians jobs, although working for the restaurant is not a requirement to receive help.
“Today, we launched a unique campaign at Baires Grill to help the Ukrainian people,” the Baires Grill Instagram page read. “We have teamed up with [Miami] Mayor Francis X. Suarez and the City of Miami Commissioners to help Ukrainian refugees by offering them transportation, housing, and employment in the United States.”
One of the owners, Gustavo Abudiab, described the campaign as “solo un granito de arena.” Another, Natalia Denegri, said they have already been in contact with Polish officials to help them select the refugees from Ukraine who will come to the U.S. They will also post a form for those who are interested. Lawyers plan to apply for special visas for the refugees or help them apply for asylum.
“Today, I joined my fellow Commissioners and the owners of Baires Grill to announce their incredible humanitarian effort to aid Ukrainian refugees coming to the United States with transportation, housing, and employment opportunities,” Mayor Suarez tweeted.
As of press time, it is estimated that more than two million Ukrainians have fled their homes amid Russia’s attack on their country. Most of those individuals, about 1.2 million, have crossed into Poland. Others have gone to neighboring countries like Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Moldova.