Montreal Ukrainian churches face cost, logistics battles in getting donations to those in need

"In order to send these products, we also need to have funds," says Yaroslav Pivtorak, priest at Montreal’s St. Michael’s church, as volunteers look for efficient ways to get donations to Ukrainians in need. Alyssia Rubertucci reports.

By Alyssia Rubertucci

Posted April 4, 2022 4:25 pm.

Last Updated April 8, 2022 10:19 am.

Montreal’s Ukrainian churches have been the hubs for donations being sent to aid amid the Russian invasion, but at St. Michael’s church, organizers say it’s not an easy task to get the materials to those in need.

“We then organize it and then it goes through the plane. Then it lands in Poland. Then in Poland, you have other operations that come to the airports. They get the goods from the planes,” said Marta Zybko, a volunteer.

“We’re no longer shipping the whole plane because it’s put a lot of pressure on Ukrainian logistics,” explained Hanna Tatsenko, a volunteer. “So we decided to ship on a weekly basis, smaller portions. So we’re basically looking at 26 pallets, which becomes two full truckloads.”

Volunteers at the church have been working tirelessly to get the donations like medication and feminine hygiene products, and diapers out the church’s doors and on their way to Ukraine.

Priest Yaroslav packs up donations at St. Michael’s church for those in need fleeing Ukraine. (Photo Credit: Martin Daigle, CityNews)

The church’s priest, Yaroslav Pivtorak, says it’s difficult, but not impossible to get these items to those who need them.

“It takes about a week or so that the shipment comes from Canada to Ukrainians directly because of the destruction of airports, of seaports, of the Russian blockade of the black sea,” said priest Pivtorak through a translation from his son Arsenii Pivtorak.

Another hurdle the churches are facing: the transportation of all the donations isn’t cheap.

“We’re looking at different options these days, trying to use the financing that we get in the most efficient way. So, combining transport by air and ocean at the same time,” explained Tatsenko.

“We need to pay for the planes. I need to pay for the warehouse where we’re preparing the pallets. You need to pay for four trucks, you know, sometimes to get donations in different forms. But we still need to pay for a lot of elements of the operation,” added Zybko.

Some of the volunteers helped launch a non-profit Atlantic Ukrainian Association to help fundraise for the logistics.

“The church, even if they have funds, they cannot pay for a flight because it’s not in their church’s mandate to pay for such things as flights or trucks,” said Tatsenko. “You know, the church cannot make those payments. So, we needed to put that foundation very rapidly so that we’re able to use the funds that we’re getting from the donors.”

At St. Michael’s they ask the public to consider donating to local efforts first, before turning to international organizations.

“If people can, it would be very welcomed to raise funds in order to be able to ship all the stuff that is collected here. And we hope that it will get to as soon as possible to the people in need in Ukraine,” said priest Pivtorak through a translation.