Churches in Ukraine, Russia delivering supplies to embattled citizens

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A U.S.-based nonprofit is helping local churches on both sides of the conflict deliver necessary supplies to embattled citizens as the war erupts around them.

U.S.-based Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) is sending financial donations to a network of 40 churches in Eastern Ukraine, 27 of which are located in Ukraine and 13 of which are on the Russian side, working to provide food, winter clothes, blankets and medicines in areas where the fighting is most intense.  

"The aid that we're sending is on both sides of the conflict," Eric Mock, vice president of ministry operations for SGA, told Fox News. "So, in other words, we are also sending aid into Russia because there are people fleeing eastward out of the conflict." 

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U.S.-based Slavic Gospel Association is helping local churches get aid to Ukraine and Russian citizens in areas facing the most intense fighting.  (Slavic Gospel Association )

SGA has been around since 1934 but served churches more directly in 1991 after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. 

Since 2014, the organization has been working with an established network of evangelical and Baptist churches who have been "rushing aid into the war zone" of eastern Ukraine, according to Mock. 

Students at an SGA-supported school praying in a basement during shelling in Ukraine. (Slavic Gospel Association )

The organization is currently supporting about 2,300 Ukrainian and Russian pastors who are rushing aid to those in need.  

In the first few days of the conflict, everyone was trying to "get out of the thick of the fire," but now, Mock says, "they're starting to get their footing."  

On Saturday, a Ukrainian pastor was the first to drive into regions of active fighting to deliver aid right to people's homes. 

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For every $15 donated to SGA, "we can get a large bag of groceries to those families through these local churches," Mock said. That is about 70% of the need right now, he estimated. 

They are also funding and delivering blankets, food and other aid to people "basically left with just the clothes on their back." 

People take shelter at a building basement while sirens sound, announcing new attacks in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.  (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

They are also providing "family survival packs," which include substantially more groceries, a "diverse amount of medical aid" like Advil and Tylenol, blankets and, in some cases, mattresses. 

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SGA is still accepting donations, but Mock said the organization was able to send a substantial amount of donations to the local pastors ahead of the conflict. Now, they can focus on delivering supplies. 

However, Mock said they are doing more than just that. 

"I think it's really important that we come with a message of hope. At the same time that you're coming with physical aid," he said. "That's critical because when in dark times, the lack of hope leads people to despair and to give up."