UUARC’s Soup Kitchen Program was established in 1998 to provide regular meals to elderly Ukrainians living in poverty, including former political dissidents and members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

UUARC’s Soup Kitchen Program was established in 1998 to provide regular meals to elderly Ukrainians living in poverty, including former political dissidents and members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Beyond providing food, the kitchens offered a place where older residents could gather, share a warm meal, and spend time with others in their communities.

The first UUARC soup kitchen opened in Lviv, Ukraine, in 1998. The program subsequently expanded to four locations, including Mykolayiv, Nova Odesa, and Ponornytsia in the Chernihiv region. The kitchens in Lviv and Mykolayiv served meals five days a week or daily on a rotating basis, while the Ponornytsia location, which opened in 2011, also provided regular meals on a rotating schedule. The Nova Odesa kitchen was later converted into a food pantry, distributing groceries to elderly residents twice a month.

At the time of the program’s original reporting, UUARC’s food assistance operations provided more than 49,400 four-course meals annually, serving over 500 people at a total yearly cost of approximately $63,000. The reported cost of an individual meal was $3.50 across all four locations, allowing donations to provide regular food assistance to Ukrainians with limited financial resources.

Food Deliveries for People with Disabilities

In addition to its soup kitchens, UUARC organized grocery deliveries for residents unable to access regular meal services. In Nova Odesa, the organization distributed food packages to 86 people with disabilities, providing groceries directly to individuals who faced additional challenges obtaining food and other necessities.

These deliveries complemented the meal programs in Lviv, Mykolayiv, and Ponornytsia, extending food assistance to people whose age, health, or mobility made it difficult to visit a soup kitchen or food distribution center.

Support Food Assistance in Ukraine

For more than 80 years, UUARC has provided humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians through donations, community partnerships, and volunteer efforts. Financial contributions help support programs that provide food, groceries, and other essential supplies to elderly Ukrainians, people with disabilities, and families in need.



Make a Donation | Contact Us

United Ukrainian American Relief Committee (UUARC)
215.728.1630 | UUARC@uuarc.org