Unisocial Ireland sends 7.5 tons of food to Kharkiv
To provide assistance to victims of the war in Ukraine, Unisocial held a charity event in Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, on November 17. During the event, approximately 200 people, including displaced and vulnerable families, received food donations – with items sent by the Universal Church in Ireland.
The initiative aimed to support those affected by the conflict, especially people who fled bombed areas and lost their homes. In addition to providing basic necessities, Unisocial also offered emotional support, with volunteers providing a welcoming and hopeful environment.
One of the beneficiaries of the donations was Elena Spolianskaya, who currently lives with her husband, who is unemployed, and three children. “In the midst of the war, with so many difficulties in finding work and food, God did not abandon us, and the Church supported us with this humanitarian aid. I am grateful for the help my family received.”
The participants of the event were welcomed at the Universal Church. While the parents attended the event, their children were welcomed by the teachers of the Children’s Bible Centre (CBC). In addition to the basic food baskets distributed to the families, the children received supply kits containing items such as breakfast cereal, cereal bars, instant soup and milk drinks.
“Due to the war, my house was badly damaged, and I am living in difficult conditions, but thank God, there is a Church here in Kharkiv, which supported me in this difficult time. I am very grateful for this support,” says Natalia Saushkina.
From Ireland to Ukraine
The Universal Church here in Ireland played a key role in making the solidarity event in the region affected by the conflict possible. Volunteers, members and supporters from Dublin, Cork and Gort came together to make donations and ask supermarkets and citizens for help. After a month of mobilisation and organisation, 7.5 tons of food were sent on October 28, arriving at their destination on November 14.
According to the person in charge of the Universal Church in Ukraine, Bishop Tiago Casagrande, all the help the country receives is of great importance, especially in Kharkiv. “It is a state that has been heavily bombed. We have cases of people who have lost their homes and their sources of income, so the most basic of basics has become something of great need and importance to them.”
