Walking along the Khreshchatyk, the major street in Kyiv, one often sees expensive cars and other signs of opulence, since Ukraine is, at least in part, a hub for the very wealthy. However, the wealthy are in the minority. As a matter of fact, a very large percentage of Ukraine’s population does not share the extravagant lifestyle of the select few, but are struggling to make ends meet, some barely surviving. It is this needy segment of Ukraine’s population that the Charitable Program of St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark, N.J., is trying to help.
Ukraine’s most disadvantaged are found both in large cities and small towns alike. Some are simple villagers, while others may have advanced degrees, yet each of them has his or her own story about their fight for survival. We know that we cannot alleviate the hardships of each person who may need our help, but it is our goal to extend a helping hand to as many people as possible. We want them to know that they have not been forgotten, and that there are people in this world who care about them.
Not every disadvantaged person has the same needs, so our program tries to vary the assistance we send to Ukraine. In the past nine years, we have sent over 450 wheelchairs, over 7,000 talking watches for the blind, hundreds of large boxes of clothing. We have touched invalids, the homeless, poverty-stricken families, needy elderly, wounded soldiers, orphans, the incarcerated and many more. With every gift, no matter how large or small, we hope to bring a touch of kindness to those who need it the most.
Last month we completed a successful sock drive, which provided over 20,000 pairs of socks to the needy in Ukraine. In search of ideas for a new project, we were recently inspired by a story that reached us from Vyzhnytsia, a small town in the Carpathian Mountains. One of our contacts shared a story about an elderly gentleman whom she had visited. She entered his modest home just as he was about to cook one potato and one onion in water. He called this his “soup” and this was to be his meal for the day. This account touched our hearts and gave rise to a plan to help feed the hungry.
Our contacts in various cities and villages throughout Ukraine (with whom we have worked on many previous undertakings) have agreed to be our “hands and feet” in this endeavor. In the near future, they will visit wholesale stores to purchase food staples such as cooking oil, flour, sugar, rice, buckwheat and other basic items. They will then pack these items into bags, and will deliver them to the needy in time for Christmas.
One might argue that a bag of food, no matter how large, will not, in the long run, save someone who does not have enough to eat. But if we can bring a smile and a bit of comfort to those who need it the most, we will have succeeded.
If anyone would like to join us in our mission to feed the hungry, please mail your checks made out to St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church Charitable Program to 719 Sanford Ave., Newark, N.J. 07106. All persons associated with St. John’s Charitable Program, both here in the United States and in Ukraine, work strictly on a volunteer basis, so the entire sum of all donations received will go to feed the hungry in Ukraine. We assure you that all of the volunteers with whom we work in Ukraine are trustworthy. We know them personally and have worked with them for a number of years.
Please help us to bring comfort to many.
Ksenia Hapij is office administrator at St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark and the director of its charitable program.