Fund-raising dinner with Depaul Ukraine

There is a tradition in Great Britain when members of the board of Depaul International arrange a dinner, for which their colleagues and friends come. They have dinner together and in course of it a curator of Depaul, in quite an informal way, makes a presentation about the organization, its activity and needs. This person says why exactly he or she has decided to help Depaul and with doing so encourages his or her friends to support Depaul as well. Almost every participant in such a dinner later makes his or her own donation for Depaul.

So, following the example of Great Britain, members of the board of Depaul Ukraine have decided to try to arrange a similar dinner. In fact, they have arranged it for the third time already.

What purpose does it serve to? Its purpose is making as many people aware of the poverty and Depaul Ukraine as possible. People coming for this dinner would not intentionally go searching for such a foundation; therefore, talking during the dinner is a chance to tell them about projects and the people to whom Depaul renders assistance. In addition, it is a financial support as well. At the end of the dinner, people make donations. What is still important, it is also about forging relationships aimed at cooperation in those spheres in which the invited guests work.

Depaul Ukraine Project was launched in Kharkiv in 2006. It rendered assistance to children living on the streets and homeless adults. Presently, the Project operates in Odesa, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Zaluchchia.

Fr. Vitalii Novak, Chairman of the Board of “Depaul Ukraine”, said:

“People ask me why I do this… When I understand who a human being is and who I am, I cannot help but do this – support homeless persons. Representatives of branches are present here who are directly engaged in rendering different services to homeless people. Since Depaul was launched in Ukraine, over 16,000 people have received assistance and this number is counting on. There are both pleasant and unpleasant moments. And when we started to develop the structure, I saw there were people willing to do that – to help!

We meet poor people in our Project every day. There are not only homeless people there. Each day we meet lonely unconnected persons as well who just long for some attention, friendly chat, spiritual care or support.

One homeless man said: “When we see your Depaul green bus, we know there is still hope. And when the bus has broken down, there is no Depaul anymore… Whom shall we go to?..”

We cannot do much for all these people. Sometimes even we lack the money to feed them and give them clothes.

However, today I would like to talk not about them, although they are the reason we all have gathered here today. Today, we have here you, our guests, and there are representatives of the organization, volunteers and staff. You are the civil society that grows and expands. The number of people who care increases, too. On the experience of my foreign colleagues I see they have some organizations to help and to support from a very young age. They support those organizations in various ways – someone helps with the money, someone as a volunteer, while still others share their free time. For instance, we have Liuda here who has had such courage to gather you all here. The worst thing nowadays is indifference. She is not indifferent! She has supported this idea. In what way has she done this? Everyone thinks that Depaul Ukraine is all about some funds and that is the reason the Project helps people, and that is why we are here…  Actually, it is people who help, people who are just like you! You are not indifferent. You are Depaul friends. This is the way it is worldwide. Saint Vincent used to say that love is inventive, even to infinity. The one who loves will always find something new, invent something and support. Our dinner with Depaul Ukraine is like an example of such inventiveness in order to meet you.”

We are grateful to every one of you for making time and coming to us, for becoming friends with us.

10/03/2018