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March 22, 2022By Vatican News staff reporter
Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine nearly a month ago, Caritas Poland has continued to provide ongoing aid to Ukrainian refugees who have fled.
Thanks to people's generosity, 130 Caritas centres are giving out up to 47 thousand meals a day.
Hundreds of thousands of people left Ukraine with just the clothes on their back, and Caritas is now providing them with basic goods, such as food, water, clothes, blankets, pillows, and linen.
Aid inside Ukraine
As the humanitarian crisis deepens in Ukraine, in some areas, these basic items are no longer available, which is why the transportation of aid is so vital.
Caritas in Poland has also been organizing humanitarian transports to Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, local diocesan Caritas organizations have sent nearly 500 trucks and vehicles, which transported 7300 tons of aid.
“Help points”
As people continue to flee across the border into Poland, help is at hand.
Caritas volunteers are based at 26 “help points ”which, over the last number of weeks, have supported over 80 thousand people by providing warm meals, water, and food supplies, as well as other essential goods such as thermoses and sleeping bags.
Where possible, as at the train station in Przemyśl, Caritas has created a space just for women with young children, to rest after their difficult road.
This gives them some respite as they continue their journey further on into Poland. Local Caritas organizations have supported 8,600 people, among them over 4,700 children.
They are also supporting nearly 30 thousand refugees who have been taken in by individual Polish families.
Package for Ukraine project
As well as this vital support, Caritas Poland has started the project “Package for Ukraine”, which organizes food packages for the inhabitants of the war-torn country and Ukrainians who have found refuge in Poland.
Altogether, 200 thousand such packages will be distributed.
Caring for children
One of the most tragic aspects of this war has been the images of children being forced to flee, some of whom are sick and have been orphaned.
Caritas Poland and local diocesan Caritas centres have prepared around 2,500 places for bigger and smaller groups of Ukrainian orphans and children from foster families. Over 800 children and guardians have already been accommodated in holiday resorts, retreat houses, and clergy houses. Many of these children have disabilities.
The largest group of children has been accommodated in the Diocese of Opole, the Diocese of Bielsko–Żywiec, the Archdiocese of Czestochowa, and the Archdiocese of Kraków.
Non Ukrainian citizens
Apart from Ukrainians, citizens of many other countries, who had been residing in Ukraine have also come to Poland.
They too receive aid from Caritas which includes psychological support and translators.
As this war continues, Caritas Poland and local Caritas organisations are ready to assist those in need in response to the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War.
