Russian Charity In US Increases Humanitarian Aid During Pandemic - Executive Director

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2020) The Russian American Community Services (RACS), one of the oldest Russian charities in the United States, has increased the amount of humanitarian aid it provides during the pandemic, RACS Executive Director Olga Medvedko told Sputnik.

The San Francisco-based charity started as a soup kitchen in 1977 but has grown into a much larger organization that provides home-delivered meals and social services to hundreds of seniors and people with disabilities. RACS also conducts various charitable projects both in the US and abroad.

"Usually we had 200 something lunch portions a day, but now it is close to 300, depending on a menu," Medvedko said on Wednesday.

Medvedko explained that when the COVID-19 outbreak started, RACS could not operate its dining room. They now provide take-out meals and increased the number of home-delivered meals.

"We use volunteer help a lot" to accomplish the home deliveries, she said.

Medvedko also said the volunteers deliver the food at the doorstep of many of the individuals who usually came to the charity's dining room daily, but are now homebound.

The smaller number of individuals who live farther away from San Francisco is visited by RACS staff once a week and presented with a week-load of supplies, she added.

Medvedko noted that the pandemic has significantly changed the lifestyle of many elderly who need socialization as they would come to the dining room not only to have meals but also to communicate with each other and engage in different activities.

"It is not easy for them [to be alone]. When we deliver lunches, we are trying to include something for them to do in our lunch packages," she said. "We try to call them, talk to them."

As the restrictive measures imposed earlier to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus have begun to be gradually lifted, some US states have reintroduced measures due to recurring increases in the number of infected people.

"There is no word of re-opening of our dining room yet," Medvedko said.

The RACS meal projects are partially funded by the City Council of San Francisco, while the charity's other programs are entirely sponsored by private donations.