Baker City Presbyterian Church donates $15,000 to Ukraine aid

Published 2:00 pm Saturday, May 21, 2022

BAKER CITY — A fundraising effort by Baker City’s First Presbyterian Church to aid humanitarian work in Ukraine resulted in a $15,000 donation to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

The local campaign started in late March, a little more than a month after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Jean Simpson-Geddes, a member of the local church Session, the Presbyterian governing body, said donations from members of the Baker City and La Grande congregations, along with donations from other Baker County residents, totaled $7,500.

Baker City’s First Presbyterian Session matched that amount, for a total donation of $15,000, Simpson-Geddes said.

The Baker City church will be sending thank you notes to people from outside the church congregation who contributed to the campaign, she said.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has been working in Ukraine and bordering countries to provide shelter, meals, medicines and hygiene products to residents affected by the war.

“We’re happy to match whatever we can,” said Jean Simpson-Geddes, a member of Session.

According to its website, pda.pcusa.org, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance focuses on these areas:

• The long term recovery of disaster impacted communities.

• Provides training and disaster preparedness for presbyteries and synods.

• Works collaboratively with church partners and members of the ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) internationally, and nationally with other faith based responders.

• Connects partners locally and internationally with key organizations active in the response — United Nations, NVOAD (National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster), World Food Program, Red Cross, FEMA and others.

To learn more about the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance work in Ukraine, visit pda.pcusa.org/situation/ukraine/.