Hungarian Caritas is ready to provide long-term support for refugees

Hungarian Caritas stood by the refugees from the very first minutes. They are providing transportation, accommodation and food for refugees arriving in Transcarpathia or Hungary, with the cooperation of national organisations and partners across the border.

For almost a month now, children, mothers and elderly people arriving from the border crossing point have been received 24/7 at the Caritas base in Barabás (Hungary). Families arrive tired and hungry after several days of travel to Hungary. Most of them are coming from Kiev, Donetsk and Kharkov. In this period, at least 10,000 people have visited the centre, where Caritas has organised their accommodation and further travel, and provided them with travel packages and toiletries.

In addition, Caritas will also provide regular service in the transit centre in the BOK hall (Budapest) from today. Between 2 and 20 March, volunteers and staff welcomed approximately 55,000 people at the Budapest-Keleti railway station, providing them with food and information.

Country Director Gábor Écsy said: “At the border we moved on to long-term work. Donated containers replaced the aid tents that had been in operation since the beginning of the war. This will provide a suitable place to organise social tasks and care, further travel and accommodation for refugees. Our volunteers’ temporary accommodation has also become more comfortable. At the same time, we will continue to support Caritas organisations across the border, which now have to provide for internally displaced persons alongside disadvantaged Hungarian families. In recent weeks, we have delivered a total of nearly HUF 45 million in financial and material support to Transcarpathia. Every day we deliver them two truckloads of basic cooking supplies to keep the soup kitchens running during this very difficult time.”

Hungarian Caritas continues to welcome donations to support all these objectives.
There are several ways to join the campaign:
•    By online donation on the website of Caritas Hungary
•    On the central bank account of Caritas Hungary by specifying “összefogás Ukrajnáért” (Cooperation for Ukraine)

Hungarian Caritas

Photo: Nóra P. Tóth