The St. Basil Support Ministry recently gave away nearly 300 backpacks loaded with school supplies to local Ukrainian refugees.
The drive was organized by Sister Teodora Kopyn, OSBM and the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great. Donations came from across the area, including Myrrh-Bearers Catholic Church in Swarthmore, Schuylkill-Lehigh Valley Deanery, Gloria Dei Episocpal Church, William Ortlieb, Alexis Drolet and friends.
The event took place at the Basilian Spirituality Center at the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great Mother House. It was part of a larger outreach program run by the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great. The order runs the St. Basil Support Ministry in Jenkintown and the Good Samaritan Food Pantry in East Poplar.
Sr. Teodora leads both ministries and visits the homeless on Kensington Avenue every week, delivering 250 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bottled water and snacks.
The ministry on Fox Chase Road is trying to raise money to renovate a small barn to have more space for food donations and is looking for drivers to help collect and distribute donations in the Philadelphia area.
For more information, call Sr. Monica Lesnick, OSBM at 631-432-9587 or Sr. Teodora Kopyn, OSBM at 215-429-0560. ••
