Today in Georgia, 20% of the country’s population lives below the national poverty line. Many vulnerable families and children are struggling, especially children with disabilities, victims of violence, children of national minorities, and children from poor families. In 2020 and 2021, Covid-19 made the situation for struggling families even more difficult. Many are suffering from hunger and are desperately in need.
American Friends of Georgia is reaching out to these families through our support of two food banks.
Ekaterine Aleksidze is married and has three children. Two of her children are disabled and have health problems. Ekaterine's husband health is not good and he is unable to work to support his family.
The family live in an abandoned building which they have repaired to a degree with donated material. They receive some social assistance and medicine and depend on the food banks for food.
*childrens' faces are obscured at the request of the families
‘Foodbank’ –a non-profit organization, was established in 2019 to help vulnerable families with food. They support over 50 families a month living below the national poverty level on the outskirts of Tbilisi and Rustavi. ‘FoodBank’ distributes food and other hygienic items monthly including flour, sugar, buckwheat, rice, soaps, paper goods, etc. The families are living in dire conditions in ruined and abandoned buildings with food delivered to them. Provisions are carefully selected and non-perishable since many do not have refrigerators. Some of the parishioners working in ‘Foodbank’ are poor themselves and are receiving small salaries.
Nana Marghaia has three children to provide for. She and her children are able to survive with social assistance and meals from Tkhilis Guli food bank.
*childrens' faces are obscured at the request of the families
The House of Mercy charity was established in 1990 at Archangel Michael’s Church in Tbilisi by the Patriarch of Georgia, Ilya II. The charity distributed bread to the most needy of Tbilisi until 2013 when the House of Mercy became Tkhilis Guli food bank. Tkhilis Guli provides 250 sit-down meals and provisions daily to Tbilisi’s poor , mainly adults and elderly. Tkhilis Guli, which means ‘The Nut’s Kernel’, is run by Mother Nisime and is operated and funded mainly by parishioners, who donate time and money, arrange fundraisers, and personally solicit donations from others.
In addition, as a result of Covid-19, AFG has been providing food and hygiene items to the elderly in our Hospice Home Care Program and to the residents of our Dzegvi Shelter Community.
We hope you will consider making a donation to help support these programs.