On October 28, 2026, the concept of the All-Russian database "The Church Helps" was presented at the plenary session of the XVII Interregional Conference on Church Social Service in Yekaterinburg. It will combine information about the current social projects of the Russian Orthodox Church and help people find the necessary support.
The project is supervised by the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service. The concept of the future online platform and interactive map was presented by its coordinator Evgeny Shatskikh.
A single database collects information about verified church initiatives from different dioceses of Russia: shelters, care centers, homes for mothers, volunteer services, sisterhoods of mercy and other projects. A search by region, type of assistance, and category of those in need will let you know where to turn in a difficult life situation.
The platform is also designed for those who want to help others. The volunteers will be able to find projects that need their participation and support, and the organizers of the social service will be able to get acquainted with the experience of colleagues and establish cooperation.
The database is already being updated. To include a charity project, foundation, or initiative in it, you need to fill out a questionnaire. Questions can be sent to the coordinator at e.shatskih@diaconia.ru .
The database is being created as part of the Professionals Nearby 2.0 project, which the Synodal Department for Charity is implementing with the support of the Presidential Grants Foundation.
The XVII Interregional Conference on Church Social Service is being held in Yekaterinburg on October 27-30 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. It brought together more than 360 participants — representatives of dioceses of the Ural Federal District, volunteer services, sisterhoods of mercy, church social projects and authorities.