On April 14, 2026, Bishop Peter of Berdyansk and Primorsky met with volunteers and staff of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission in Tokmak, Zaporizhia region. The bishop visited the volunteers during Holy Week to congratulate them on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ and to support their ministry.
Over tea, Vladyka Peter talked with the volunteers about their hard but fruitful work. He visited the temporary accommodation facility where the volunteers work, and presented them with consecrated cakes as a sign of Easter joy.
Since November 2025, volunteers from the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission have been working in Tokmak on a permanent basis. The field of home-based patronage for people with limited mobility and elderly single people who cannot take care of themselves due to their age and health status is actively developing here.
During the work of the center in Tokmak, more than 900 requests for help from local residents were accepted and processed.
The center's work is not limited to the distribution of humanitarian aid, volunteers carry out inspections of housing conditions, provide information and spiritual support. Special attention is paid to legal aid: free consultations are provided for those in need on the issues of reissuing documents, real estate, receiving pensions and benefits.
The Russian Orthodox Church has been helping civilians in Donbas since February 2022. There are 12 church aid centers in the border areas, Moscow and the conflict zone, which have processed over 370,000 requests. More than 4,230 tons of humanitarian aid have been transferred to the victims. More than 6,935 volunteers participated in helping the victims. Over 729 private homes have been restored as part of the project to restore private housing for those in need in the conflict zone. The Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission coordinates the social assistance of the Church in the regions of the SVR zone.