Moscow, October 20, 2016
Photo: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/
On October 18, 2016, the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry transferred 437,600 rubles to the dioceses most affected by the floods in August-September this year. On October 18 the Vladivostok and Arsenyev Dioceses received 218,800 rubles each for purchasing household appliances, clothes and necessary items for area residents who have lost their belongings as a result of the natural disaster, reports Patriarchia.ru.
“People have responded to our tragedy, and various organizations are currently helping those who have suffered from the flood. Presently we are trying to obtain more precise information on those in need in order to provide targeted aid. Once all the required information is collected, we will purchase the necessary items for the Chuguevka district residents.”
On October 8 and 10, 108 mattresses were delivered to Koksharovka partly with the funds obtained by the Synodal Department for Charity (115,000 rubles) and partly with the funds raised by the Arsenyev Diocese (42,000 rubles). Moreover, the Diocese of Arsenyev has sent ninety pillows to Koksharovka. There are 658 people on the list of the needy in the area, many having yet received no aid.
The Diocese of Vladivostok is rendering targeted help as well. According to vice-chairman of the diocesan social department Inna Chistyakova, information on necessary household items for the needy is provided by the territory’s Department for Social Protection. “Now we are purchasing things for four families from the village of Terney—a refrigerator, a washing machine, a pump, tableware, winter outerwear, and footgear. We reckon that about a half of the donated sum will be used for that,” she said.
As of October 18, 983,754 rubles have been transferred to the account of the Synodal Department for Charity. Of them, 983,600 rubles have been transferred to the Vladivostok and Arsenyev Dioceses.
The Synodal Department for Charity is continuing to raise money for the flood victims. Donations to help those who were affected by the flood in the Primorsky territory can be made through branch banks and bank cards. You can also donate by sending a text message to the short number 7715: “ЧС” + space + “the sum of donation”: for example, “ЧС 500”. A report on the expenditures of the funds can be found on the official website of the Synodal Department for Charity.
Photo: http://www.diaconia.ru/
The flood in the Primorsky territory occurred due to torrential rains caused by a cyclone and two typhoons. On September 2 a state of emergency at the federal level was declared in the region. 170 inhabited localities in twenty-five districts (that is, around 6,000 houses) were flooded. Over 600 people were evacuated to centers of temporary accommodation; thousands of Primorsky territory residents lost their property.
On September 5 department staff Polina Yufereva and Archpriest Andrei Bliznyuk flew to the flood zone to help the victims. When they arrived there they bought food and other necessities to deliver to residents of the two settlements that had been affected by the natural calamity. The notes from the scene of the events by the sister of mercy Polina Yufereva on the situation in the Primorsky territory were published on the Lenta.ru website.