Crisis in Ukraine

Samaritan's Purse is providing food and non-food items to suffering families in Ukraine while airlifting medical supplies into the country as fighting rages on. In partnership with churches in Ukraine, we are transporting these urgently needed relief supplies to families suffering in areas impacted by conflict.

• Samaritan’s Purse has served nearly 3 million people throughout the first five months of this response. We have distributed nearly 17,000 metric tons of food within Ukraine in partnership with the local church. Our water systems and newly constructed freshwater wells have provided more than 6 million liters of water to Ukrainians.
• Twenty-five airlift missions have brought relief for those struggling inside Ukraine.
• Samaritan's Purse is committed to help Ukraine over the long haul and is currently transitioning our relief efforts from a temporary Disaster Assistance Response Team to a more permanent country office.
• More than 7 million refugees from Ukraine have spread across Europe, the United States, Canada, and other countries worldwide. Many millions are also internally displaced due to the conflict.

Through 25 airlifts—23 of which were carried out through our DC-8 cargo jet—Samaritan’s Purse has transported hundreds of tons of relief items, including our Emergency Field Hospital, medical supplies, food, and hygiene kits. We continue to bring in new shipments of supplies nearly every week and are working in close partnership with churches in Ukraine to get these items to communities where the need is urgent.

Specifically, through our Medical Airlift Program, we have transported more than 200 metric tons of medical supplies to Ukraine to assist in resupplying the local, strained health system.

In addition, Samaritan’s Purse continues to treat patients through an emergency outpatient medical facility in southwestern Ukraine. We are also providing patient care during ambulance transport—including international evacuations. As the needs evolve, we have started providing expert burn training to local medical personnel to help meet the increased need.

“God calls us to go into crisis areas to help those who are most vulnerable,” said Franklin Graham. “As the conflict continues in Ukraine, our international disaster response teams with doctors, nurses, and other specialists are equipped and ready to help people in Jesus' Name. We want them to know that God loves them and has not forgotten them.”

In areas impacted by violence, we have provided 14 water systems to provide over 6 million liters of clean water for suffering families. We are also establishing freshwater wells to provide clean water in areas where water and other infrastructure were destroyed. We are also helping to restore homes in Ukraine that have been partially destroyed in the ongoing conflict, allowing locals to return to their communities.

“Ukrainian families are hurting and in desperate need of prayer and support as millions flee for their lives,” said Franklin Graham. “We want to meet the needs of these families in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ.”

In mid-June we closed our Emergency Outpatient Clinic in central Ukraine and our Emergency Field Hospital in Lviv. These facilities were handed over to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health for continued use in eastern Ukrainian cities. Samaritan’s Purse staff will assist in training them on the operation of these units. Through these two facilities, we treated more than 5,000 patients—a large part of the more than 16,000 patients we’ve cared for thus far in Ukraine.

Also in June, Samaritan’s Purse concluded its operation in Moldova where we were able to care for thousands of people through food distributions, medical care, and by providing desperately needed items such as mattresses, blankets and hygiene supplies.

Samaritan's Purse has a partner network of more than 3,000 churches in Ukraine and neighboring Moldova. As conflict erupted, we were in the process of distributing 600,000 Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes in Ukraine.

Over the past months, we’ve sent thousands of children's backpacks to Ukraine aboard our DC-8 aircraft. Included inside are a soft bear that says "God Loves You" in their language on the front, plus crayons, a sketch pad, a knit hat, a ball, and a booklet in Ukrainian that tells them God loves them.

“Please join me in praying for the people of Ukraine and for this conflict to end quickly.” Franklin Graham