COVID-19 Project
COVID-19 Project: Providing Groceries to the Poor and Unemployed
Ukraine has been under a quarantine since March 13. By the middle of April, 40% of Ukrainian families ran out of savings to even purchase groceries for the families. The government has stepped in by increasing unemployment benefits from $25 a month to $37. But this benefit only applies to those who were legally employed when the quarantine came into effect. A very large portion of workers in Ukraine are not legally employed in order for their employers to avoid paying a 40% salary tax, and thus do not qualify for any assistance.
In addition, many Rroma pensioners do not qualify for government pensions as they do not have the legal papers to prove they even exist. We have a partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ, a Rroma church, in providing food supplements to these Rroma families. With many Rroma unemployed during the quarantine, many of these pensioners do not have family members that can provide food for them, and thus they are in need of more than just the current supplements we provide.
These funds will be used to provide $6 of groceries each week for 50 families and 50 Rroma pensioners through September who do not qualify for unemployment or pension assistance, which is nearly equivalent to what the government provides for those who are unemployed. The quarantine is scheduled to last until mid-July, but it will take time for jobs to become available and will need support through September.