Candor and Van Etten residents launch effort to assist Ukraine

By now, anyone who watches the news has seen horrific videos of the Russian bombing of Ukraine. The bombs are basically flattening Ukraine into rubble. The dazed faces of women, children and the elderly are heartbreaking to watch. One Ukrainian official has called the targeted bombing of civilians “genocide.” 

Residents in Spencer Van Etten and Candor were wondering what they could do to help.   

The refugees who have left Ukraine now total more than 3.5 million, 2 million of whom are in Poland. This is a huge number for the cities willing to receive them. They generally arrive with the clothes on their back, perhaps some baby-care items, and the need for many services. These include food for everyone and help deciding where to go and what to do next. 

The pressure on the helpers is also extreme, trying to find shelter, water, food, medicine, and all the other items refugees need to continue living. Some Ukrainians report that after 10 days of living in a shelter or cellar, they finally decided to come out because without water and food they decided to take their chances on being hit by a bomb rather than die of starvation and thirst. 

Several people in Spencer, Van Etten and Candor were asking the question, “What can we do to help the refugees, their helpers, and the people still left in Ukraine?”  

Clearly sending funds is one of the things that will help provide humanitarian aid, but no one person can make a huge dent in meeting the needs of the refugees. This informal group of people, just talking among themselves asked, “What can we personally do to help to make a bigger impact?” 

They decided to put out jars in Spencer, Van Etten and Candor to collect money for three different groups that are already set up and working on behalf of the refugees now. With infrastructure already on the ground and volunteers already in place, the three groups chosen to receive the donations are Save the Children, Samaritan’s Purse, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  

Christ the King Fellowship (Spencer Presbyterian Church) will act as the clearinghouse for all donated funds, be in charge of collecting the money from the jars, and seeing that it gets divided between these three well-established funds. 

Collection jars are out in the three communities now, so when you see them, feel free to give generously. The jars will be labeled with the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag so that it’s clear what you are giving to.  

To check out any of these funding recipients, feel free to Google them or call Doris at (607) 738-1661 or Pastor Sabrina at (607) 589-4430.