The Orthodox Church in America has launched a new fundraising campaign to aid Ukrainian refugees in Poland

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA), in partnership with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), has announced the launch of a new fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $50,000. These funds will be used to provide humanitarian aid to Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes due to the war and are currently in Poland.

This initiative, “ ,” is a continuation of the OCA’s long-standing mission, through which it has already donated more than $720,000 to ELEOS, the humanitarian agency of the Polish Orthodox Church. The Secretary of the OCA, Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, personally visited Polish support centers to monitor the effectiveness of the mission’s work.

Thanks to the partnership between the IOCC and ELEOS, thousands of refugees have received essential assistance, including temporary housing, legal support, and help finding employment. As part of these humanitarian programs, Polish language courses and children’s day centers have been organized, and grants are provided to help refugees start their own businesses, which facilitates their adaptation to their new home.

Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, called on the clergy and the faithful to provide whatever support they can for the initiative. He emphasized that, in the current situation, Christian prayer must be inextricably linked to concrete acts of mercy toward those who have suffered as a result of the military conflict.

As a reminder, a petition has been launched in the U.S. against the decision by St. Nicholas Church and the National Shrine of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to award Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the “Beacon of Hope” for 2026. The petition’s authors are calling on the organizers to reconsider the decision, pointing to allegations against the Ukrainian authorities regarding restrictions on political activity and actions taken against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.