Ukrainian relief coordination centre gets premises in Vallila

The centre, which will be located in Vallila, will act as a shared space for several relief organisations and as an information and assistance point for people who fled the war in Ukraine.

The difficult situation in Ukraine has led many private Finns and companies to take action to help the country and its citizens in the midst of the war.

YIT will provide premises to the Ukrainian Association in Finland in the Sturenportti property that is developed in Vallila, Helsinki. Several relief organisations will be operating in the premises which have a total area of approximately 1,300 m2. 

The premises will be used for the coordination of donations and shipments to Ukraine. The premises also serve as a support centre for Ukrainians coming to Finland: a safe and communal place from which people who fled the war in Ukraine can receive information as well as material and mental support in accordance with their needs. 

The aim is to open the centre already in March.

“We are very happy to have access to the premises as hundreds of Ukrainians are expected to arrive in Finland in the near future. Most of the people fleeing the war are women and children in dire need of humanitarian aid. There is a real need for a central relief centre, as Ukrainians can enter Finland without a visa so government assistance may not always reach them”, says Elizabeth Harjunpää of the Ukrainian Association in Finland.

The Ukrainian Association in Finland was founded in Helsinki in 1998 to unite and represent the Ukrainian community living in Finland and to raise awareness of Ukraine and its cultural heritage. Currently, the association is actively participating in Ukrainian relief in Finland.

“The Russian military offensive has led to great human distress and suffering in Ukraine and, as our CEO said earlier, our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people. We are delighted that our premises in Vallila are suitable for the needs of the relief centre and that we can contribute to helping the Ukrainians in such a concrete manner,” says Ilkka Tomperi, Executive Vice President of YIT’s Property Development segment.

“I hope that all organisations, associations and other parties who are able to help the Ukrainians will be involved in the activities of the centre. Welcome!” Harjunpää continues.

Read more:
YIT’s statement regarding business operations in Russia

For further information, please contact:
Ilkka Tomperi, Executive Vice President, Property Development, YIT Corporation, tel. +358 (0)50 379 1903, ilkka.tomperi@yit.fi 
Elizabeth Harjunpää, Head of Refugee Coordination, Ukrainian Association in Finland, tel. +358 (0)40 222 3556, elizabeth.harjunpaa@gmail.com 
Hanna Malmivaara, Senior Vice President, Group Communications, YIT Corporation, tel. +358 (0)40 561 6568, hanna.malmivaara@yit.fi

YIT is the largest Finnish and a significant North European development and construction company. For 110 years, we have been creating better living environments for our customers: we develop and build functional homes for sustainable living, future-proof public and commercial buildings and infrastructure for smoother flow of people, businesses and society. We employ 7,000 professionals in ten countries: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Our revenue in 2021 was EUR 2.9 billion. YIT Corporation’s share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy. www.yitgroup.com