As a healing ministry, our hearts are with the people of Ukraine as they continue to face war and hardship. We continue to pray for those who are suffering, losing their lives, wounded, or forced to flee as their freedom and sovereignty as a nation is under siege. We also join our hearts with our colleagues of Ukrainian descent; colleagues here who are suffering untold anxiety, worry, and sadness.
Our commitment to community and to health and well-being means we recognize the dignity of every person, their individual and collective freedom, including life in a safe environment. Our promise to care for all knows no bounds.
As we pray that world leaders will come together to end war and support the Common Good for all people, I want to recognize the recent and ongoing volunteer efforts of leaders of Saint Francis Hospital’s Mission Integration, Supply Chain, and Volunteer Services. The team gathered hundreds of medical supplies and over the weekend transported several carloads of boxes and hand delivered the supplies to the Ukrainian National Home of Hartford. Among the supplies were insulin syringes, IV tubing, various airway devices, gauze and bandages, n95 masks, and minor procedure kits.
Once in the hands of the Ukrainian National Home team, the supplies were loaded into a 52-foot tractor trailer along with other kinds of supplies needed by those in Ukraine. From Hartford, the truck made its way to a shipping company in New Jersey and is now in route for transport to Eastern Europe.
The leaders of the Ukrainian National Home have since reached out to our Mission leaders expressing sincere gratitude for our generosity and support, and to let us know more is needed. They will be sending additional truckloads in the coming weeks. Our Mission, Supply Chain, and Volunteer Services leaders at Saint Francis will continue their efforts to gather medical supplies to include in upcoming shipments.