Gedaly Meerovich
President and CEO
Slavic Community Center
1219 S. Cleveland Avenue St. Paul, MN 55116
Phone: 651-690-2395
Email: GMeerovich@aol.com
Webpage: www.sccmn.org
Gedaly Meerovich knows what it’s like to be a
newcomer to the United States. He immigrated with
his family from Odessa (Ukraine) in 1980, to escape
anti-Semitism that was rampant in the Soviet Union.
Welcomed by the St. Paul Jewish community,
Meerovich learned English and established credentials so he could work as a mechanical engineer. One big adjustment occurred when he had to go to a
job interview. “Here you need to sell yourself,” he said.
“In Russian culture, you don’t show off or sell yourself. In Russia, let your supervisor recognize your ability.” He rebuilt his career here slowly, starting
as a drafter and worked as a mechanical engineer for 20 years.
In 2000, he was laid off from his job and began providing social programs for senior citizens when he noticed that many were isolated. “Russians were
used to the government taking care of things,” Meerovich asserted, “so not much was organized here.” In Russia, employment supervisors assigned
volunteer jobs. “It wasn’t free will, so people did not like the word ‘volunteer’. They resisted it.” He soon became a one-stop shop for the local Russian
speaking community, and people called him for everything. In 2003, he established non-profit status for the Slavic Community Center, which serves
immigrants to Minnesota from Eastern Europe who are linguistically connected through Slavic languages. Services and scope have expanded every year.
In 2006, two bankers approached Meerovich and requested a financial education program, as many of their Russian-speaking clients did not
understand basic banking tools. Meerovich explained that Russian immigrants often distrust banks or don’t understand the U.S. banking system. After
the U.S.S.R. collapsed in the early 1990s, new banks sprouted like mushrooms. People invested and lost a lot of money. Consequently, many Russian
immigrants in Minnesota think that the ‘under the mattress bank’ is the most secure bank. They think that cash is the safest and easiest way.
Problems arise when people apply for home or business loans, but have zero credit history. They get denied or charged higher rates.
The Slavic Community Center has created curriculum and recruited volunteers with professional backgrounds to help teach financial literacy in Russian.
Nine classes cover various levels of financial education. Every class has a fraud and scam section. The community is spread throughout the Twin Cities,
which can make it difficult to connect with people. More than 25 area churches with Russian language services provide a source for participants.
Meerovich would like to bring the program to the growing Slavic community in Dakota and Scott Counties.
Other projects of the Slavic Community Center include:
• The War Didn’t Break Them, an oral history project and 200 page book that records the memories of local Russian speaking people who participated
in World War II in five categories: fought Germany on the front, underground resistance, Leningrad siege, concentration camp and those who moved
back to Russia to produce goods for the front. These stories concentrate on people after the war, not just on the war.
• The Student Navigator program strives to improve the connection between Russian speaking parents, children and their schools.
• Tobacco and health education programs
• Senior citizen social programs
• Recreational events including soccer and chess tournaments
Future possibilities for the Slavic Community Center include reaching out to middle aged people with job search information, a dating service and a radio
station. Meerovich thinks the number of Russian speaking immigrants in Minnesota hovers around 45,000 to 50,000 people, which is more than three
times the official estimate. “We are a big enough community and we are educated enough to explain and influence the mainstream community.”
Meerovich views the financial empowerment collaborative as a networking opportunity that will connect him with resources to help his community. In
return, he will provide education about the Russian community. “It is like a big brother helping a smaller brother,” he said. “I think it will be a win-win
situation.”
Compiled by Suzanne Sheridan
sheri008@umn.edu
Dakota – Scott Financial Empowerment Collaborative Networking Newsletter
Slavic Community Center
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