Orthodox relief service collects $81,500, 13,500 gifts for needy for Christmas

Moscow, January 15, 2021

Photo: miloserdie.ru Photo: miloserdie.ru     

Thanks to its 10th annual “Give Joy for Christmas” campaign, the Mercy Orthodox relief service of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Services was able to raise more than $81,500 to purchase more than 13,000 Christmas gifts for the needy.

Altogether, $81,660 (6 million rubles)—twice as much as last year—was donated for the purchase of 13,500 gifts for orphans, lonely elderly people, seriously ill children and adults, the homeless, and those in need, reports the site of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Over the 10 years of the program, 282,000 gifts have been provided altogether. The remaining funds after the purchase of gifts this year will go to the general needs of those under the care of the Mercy service.

“It is a great joy to see people coming together to help those in need, especially at this difficult time of year,” commented Svetlana Shepel, the organizer of the “Give Joy for Christmas” program.

As Shepel explained, the campaign involves both individual donors and companies. One company donated $2,450 for a wheelchair for a child with cerebral palsy, and another organization donated musical instruments and educational toys for children.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, Parler, MeWe, and Gab!

1/15/2021

See also
Russian Church spent more than $250,000 to help the poor and homeless in 2020 Russian Church spent more than $250,000 to help the poor and homeless in 2020 Russian Church spent more than $250,000 to help the poor and homeless in 2020 Russian Church spent more than $250,000 to help the poor and homeless in 2020
“This year, there was a rise in social services. Many people had the desire to do good, to help others,” the department head, His Grace Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo, told journalists last week. 2020… A Year of Losses and Gains, Sorrows and Miracles 2020… A Year of Losses and Gains, Sorrows and Miracles
Igumen Nektary (Morozov) 2020… A Year of Losses and Gains, Sorrows and Miracles 2020… A Year of Losses and Gains, Sorrows and Miracles
Igumen Nektary (Morozov)
It is absolutely clear for me that this period did not only deprive me of something important and habitual—it also gave me something that I didn’t have before: an experiential understanding of how fragile the world that we live in is. Russian Church gives $91,000+ for needy families in poorest regions Russian Church gives $91,000+ for needy families in poorest regions Russian Church gives $91,000+ for needy families in poorest regions Russian Church gives $91,000+ for needy families in poorest regions
Thanks to the collection underway on the Department’s Mercy website, 21 dioceses have already received more than $71,700 (5.1 million rubles), and another 6 dioceses will soon receive more than $21,000 (1.5 million rubles). The funds are used to buy food for people who are in extreme need.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×