WJR Responds To Gas Crisis In Ukraine, Calling For Urgent Support
In response to the most recent dispute over gas prices between Russia and Ukraine, which has left much of Europe with a diminished gas supply during a bitter winter that has seen temperatures drop to as low as -27C, WJR has sent 750 new duvets to Moldova, in a bid to protect those who are most vulnerable.
While Ukraine has enough gas reserves to see its citizens through the winter, other countries are not as well prepared, including Moldova, Poland, Serbia and Bulgaria -- where 15,000 households are currently without heating.
WJR has sent the duvets through its unique humanitarian relief programme, Gifts in Kind (GiK), which sources, stores and ships millions of pounds worth of new and good as new items to Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union each year. The recipients of this vital aid are often living in deprived and hostile environments, relying on WJR for essential goods including basic sanitary items, warm clothing and shoes, bedding, dried food and children's toys.
The latest shipment of duvets, generously donated by a Manchester donor, was shipped from Macedonia to Moldova. The duvets will undoubtedly make the winter more bearable for some of WJR's most vulnerable recipients, both Jewish and non-Jewish; those who are elderly and do not have the reserves to survive without gas heating and those with young children who are at severe risk.
GiK relies heavily on the generosity of the UK Jewish community as well as manufacturers and distributors for mass donations of blankets, duvets, coats, shoes, toys and more. In towns and cities across Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, winter temperatures are extreme and snowfall can reach 3 foot deep. Each year, WJR prepares to protect its recipients and the gas crisis has made an already dire situation much more urgent.
Many of the GiK recipients live in homes with leaky roofs, broken windows and no heating -- a lethal combination. WJR's Winter Relief programmes literally save lives, and GiK donations of warm bedding and suitable clothing are a lifeline to thousands of people.
Roz Bluestone, Overseas Projects Executive for WJR, commented: "We are so grateful to our donors for their contributions to the GiK programme. The thought of winter without a duvet is unthinkable for us here in the UK, but for the people we help, it is a harsh reality. This donation of bedding will provide vital warmth in the winter months. However the need it still great -- I would urge both companies and individuals to help us in anyway they can."
It is simple to make a huge difference to needy Jews abroad -- call WJR on 020 8736 1250 for more details or visit www.wjr.org.uk.
