
In the year since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 12,000 people in the Seattle area have volunteered to sponsor Ukrainians seeking refuge.
- That made the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro one of the most welcoming places in the U.S. for Ukrainian refugees this past year, according to Homeland Security data.
By the numbers: Only the New York and Chicago areas had more people apply to host Ukrainians than Seattle.
- On a per capita basis, the Seattle metro had the most requests of any of the top areas.
What they're saying: Sarah Peterson, refugee coordinator in Washington's Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, said Washington has a "strong diaspora of Ukrainian community members" that predates the current war with Russia.
- She told Axios that members of that community "are now applying to support family and friends impacted by the war."
The broader community has also played a big role, she said, with many private groups offering to help support Ukrainians, as they did with recent refugees from Afghanistan.

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