Miles Jesu’s communities in western Ukraine are composed of members of the Greek Catholic Ukrainian rite, a rite of the Roman Catholic Church whose rituals and discipline find roots in the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and other influences of the East.
Since 2003 the ladies community has operated a soup kitchen in the city of L’viv, the only such location in the city open 6 days per week. The kitchen provides simple “sit down” meals on site as well as food “to go” for poor families and the sick and elderly; some of whom have been coming to the kitchen for years. There is always a big influx at the kitchen during the winter months not only because it is a warm safe place to go, but also because there are more unemployed people during the cold half of the year. In the warmer weather it is easier to find outdoor work.
It is hard to give an exact number of people fed at the kitchen because many come without being recorded. There are 120 names on the kitchen records, and every day about 70 homeless individuals and 20 family groups come for food.
With the continuing troubles in eastern Ukraine, the soup kitchen is seeing a steady rise in clientele due to people uprooted in the east relocating to western cities such as L’viv, and to increased poverty in Ukraine in general. There is a serious inflation problem with goods and utility prices rising steadily while wages remain the same. Inflation and unemployment are leading to a situation where soon 30% of the population will be living below the poverty level.
Donations from generous sponsors make this soup kitchen possible. Please consider supporting us with a donation of any amount.
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