A Monessen church is collecting donations that will be used to send generators to people in Ukraine where war has been raging for more than four years.
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church is taking part in the Power of Hope program, an effort being coordinated by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. The Rev. Robert Holet, acting leader of the Monessen church, said the generators are meant to help those living in eastern Ukraine.
“It’s within our ability to bring hope to people,” he said.
The Power of Hope program was established to help as infrastructure in Ukraine is damaged by Russian military operations.
The Associated Press reported that Russia has attacked civilian areas of Ukraine since it invaded the country in February 2022, taking aim at Ukraine’s power infrastructure. More than 15,000 people in Ukraine have been killed, according to the United Nations.
A recent attack left more than 300,000 households without electricity, the AP reported.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA sent supplies early on in the war, Holet said, and an initial shipment through the Power of Hope program was delivered last month. A second shipment through the program should be heading overseas soon, he said.
Any donations collected by the Monessen church will be put toward the Power of Hope project. Donations can be mailed to Saint Nicholas Parish, 17 Reed Ave., Monessen, Pa. 15062. Checks can be made out to St. Nicholas UOC with “generator project” written on the memo line.
Each generator costs about $1,500.