On October 30, 2026, a session "Working with petitioners" was held in Yekaterinburg as part of the XVII Interregional Conference on Church Social Service. Food and clothing assistance".
The participants discussed the organization of assistance to people applying to church social services. Representatives of the Yekaterinburg Diocese told us what requests people are calling the church's hotline at 8 (800) 70-70-222 and how the appeals are handled.
"Working with petitioners is one of the main tasks of any social department. This is working with people who are seeking specific help. And it requires prudence and a responsible approach," said Priest Pavel Kurbatov, head of the Social Department of the Chelyabinsk Diocese.
Evgeny Shatskikh, Head of the Department of work with Petitioners at the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, explained how the systematization of this activity helps to interact with benefactors and grant donors. Galina Lyudina, head of the Requests Department of the Orthodox Mercy Service of Yekaterinburg, shared the stories of the wards.
The conference was held on October 27-30 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and gathered more than 360 participants. It was organized by the Synodal Department for Charity, the Yekaterinburg Diocese and the Orthodox Mercy Service of Yekaterinburg.
Photo: Orthodox Mercy Service of Yekaterinburg.