Who are Starenki?
Starenki is a charity foundation that has been helping lonely elderly people in difficult life circumstances since 2017.
Starenki is a food aid for the elderly who need it.
Starenki is a community of like-minded people who are not indifferent to the fate of the elderly and the theme of elderly age in Ukraine, who help just because they can.
Starenki is:
₴14+ mio
Funds raised
500+
Volunteers
23 000+
Food packages
16 000+
Friends of project
7
Cities in Ukraine
Wo do we help?
Our dependents are single retirees who do not have children or other relatives who can help them.
The minimum pension in Ukraine is about UAH 2,000. We help the elderly people aged over 65, whose pension is less than two subsistence minimums.
Many elderly have to find ways to stretch this pension to cover utility bills, buy essential medicines and buy some food for the remaining money…
Most lonely elderly people for years do not eat “expensive” fruit and do not indulge themselves even in low budget sweets.
We help only those grandparents who are registered in the state social service or in the division of the international charity foundation Caritas Ukraine.
We know that it is impossible for single elderly people make a living with UAH 2,000 or at even two subsistence minimums. And we want to support them. That’s why we buy, pack and deliver food and household aid packages.
What is a food aid package?
Every year, the Foundation buys and delivers thousands of food packages to lonely elderly people through volunteers and social workers.
The composition of the aid package may vary depending on the needs of the elderly and the availability of the required number of products from the supplier. In any case, we include in the packages only long-term storage products, the quality of which is confirmed by special certificates. The basic set of the package includes:
- several types of cereals;
- pasta;
- canned fish and meat;
- sunflower oil;
- tea;
- sugar or honey;
- some sweets;
- household chemicals – soap, powder.
How do you raise money and how do you report?
Starenki is an independent volunteer foundation. We do not have large sponsors. We raise most of our funds through social networks.
The corporate sector is also increasingly involved. In 2020, we received a grant from the European Delegation and Visa. These grants are already utilized and we look for the new funding opportunities. The problem of financing the administration of the Foundation is especially acute, so that we have the organizational opportunity to continue helping the elderly.
DONATE FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE FOUNDATIONYou can see our reports on social media every month – we usually publish descriptive and financial reports. We prepare a report with copies of primary documents for large corporate donors. We also report regularly to the tax authorities. You can also find annual tax reports on our social networks and on the website. In general, transparency and accountability are our important principles and a matter of pride.
Documents and reportingWhere does Starenki Foundation operate now?
Currently, the Foundation operates in three districts of Kyiv (Dniprovsky, Podilsky, Shevchenkivsky), six districts of Dnipro (Central, Amur-Nyzhnodniprovskyi District, Shevchenkivsky, Soborny, Samara and Industrial), and together with the international charity Foundation Caritas Ukraine we help dependents in Lviv, Boryslav, Kolomyia, Poltava and Zhytomyr. Kramatorsk and Kharkiv are unfortunately on hold.
We are constantly expanding our volunteer community and the amount of assistance to lonely elderly people, both through the activities of the Foundation and through the dissemination of the idea of good neighborliness.
Want to join? Great! Write to the volunteer coordinator in your city, join volunteer groups or write to us in private messages on Facebook or Instagram.
That’s it? Just buying food aid packages?
No! Our goal is to form a responsible attitude of the young generation of Ukrainians to elderly age. Our dream is a happy elderly age in Ukraine.
Our volunteers become more conscious – they begin to think about their lives and attitudes todependents people, more often call their parents and grandparents. At each delivery of aid, we meet someone from the elderly people who is not discouraged and, despite all the difficulties, loves his life. It’s inspiring!
We also believe that a happy elderly age in Ukraine is possible for everyone. However, this requires that people think about their elderly age and prepare for it – take care of their health (not because it is fashionable, but because it is needed), have an account in a private pension fund or other source of alternative pensions, which you can really count on, take care of their family and loyal friends nearby.
FIND OUT MOREGet involved in packaging and delivery of food aid packages, become a donor or just tell your friends about Starenki! Let’s give minutes of care to grandparents left alone. Together we can help more!
How to become a volunteer?
Check if the Foundation operates in your city
Join the volunteer
group of your city
Get acquainted with the rules of volunteering and sign a volunteer consent
Take with you your good mood and go to ba and di for the first delivery of food aid!
