Russia invadedUkraine last month, and as the war still wages it has resulted in some 3 million Ukrainians fleeing their homeland with millions more believed to be internally displaced, according to media reports.
Kids Around the World, a Christian nonprofit that was formed in 1994, is working with international partners in countries neighboring Ukraine, such as Romania, to have nonperishable meals delivered and distributed to those impacted by the conflict.
The nonprofit formed initially to build playgrounds around the world for children and its first playground was in Ukraine. Over the years it has expanded its efforts including providing food relief.
“And as playgrounds were used, we partnered with local churches and missions around the world to help them have a safes space for local kids in the communities to be able to paly and enable them to share the love of Christ,” said Chase Perkins, who is based in Springfield and employed by the nonprofit.
Since 2008, Kids Around the World has also packaged and delivered meals to different communities as well as continued to build playgrounds and has held training sessions and kid story clubs aimed at spreading the gospel. The nonprofit has recently focused its efforts in several countries such as Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Uganda.
However, with the recent invasion of Ukraine, Kids Around the World has been looking at ways to help relief efforts to impacted civilians.
As part of its support efforts to Ukraine, the nonprofit will be working directly with two churches in Springfield, including Central Christian Church on Villa Road and Fellowship Christian Church on Valley Loop Road.
Kids Around the World will be supplying ingredients for the meals while volunteers at those churches are expected to package them. Perkins said that between the two churches they are expecting 30,000 to 60,000 meals to be packaged by the end of May.
Fellowship Christian is also expected to package 15,000 meals on May 21.
Central Christian Church will be packaging 15,000 meals on May 22 and plans on raising $4,550 to pay for the ingredients used. The church will be partnering with the Miami Valley Islamic Association of Springfield to package those meals.
Central Christian and the mosque in Springfield have worked together for a number of years.
Central Christian’s pastor Carl Ruby said that his church decided to get involved after hearing about Kids Around the World through Perkins.
“What I love about this project is that we are not just writing a check and sending it off to an organization. We are actually be able to be involved hands on in packing the meals,” Ruby said.
“As we are packing the meals, we will have an opportunity to be praying for the people who will be receiving them,” the pastor added.
Ruby said that if they are able to raise $8,600, that his church will plan on doing another event related to packaging food for those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.
Perkins said that the total number of meals packaged in Springfield will depend on how much money they are able to raise towards those efforts.
Those interested in donating towards those efforts can contact either Central Christian at 937-390-2424 and Fellowship Christian at 937-322-5381.
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