Prairie Gleaners have been distributing a lot of food across the globe including the Ukraine

By Jim Grossman

Since early December, 2021 we have given 37 lifts (pallets), which consists of 19,704 bags of our dehydrated vegetable mix to our NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) partners, all of which will ultimately end up in the Ukraine.  This was not done by design, but rather through our NGO partner’s requests.

In December, 2021 we gave 10 lifts (5,240 bags) to Global Emergency Missions Society (GEMS) in Abbotsford, BC.  This shipment was intended to go to Odessa, Ukraine, but was delayed several weeks due to congestion at the Port of Vancouver.  Ultimately, the shipment did go and arrived in the Black Sea in February where it was turned away by the Russian Military.  The shipment was unloaded in Istanbul, Turkey.  Our NGO partner (GEMS) went to work and arranged for ground transportation from Istanbul to Warsaw, Poland in March. This shipment will be distributed to either the Ukraine, or held in Poland to help feed Ukrainian refugees arriving in Poland.

In January, 2022 we gave 2 lifts (1,048 bags) to Faith Missions in Winkler, Manitoba.  These will be included in a shipment of clothing and medical supplies to a seminary in Lviv, Ukraine.  The Russian invasion delayed this shipment but on April 1, 2022 it was air lifted from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Warsaw, Poland and then trucked to Tuchapay, Ukraine where it is being distributed to refugees by Peter Nastasijchuk.

In March, we gave 3 lifts (1,692 bags) to Amigo Relief Mission in Sherwood Park, Alberta.  This was intended to be included in an air shipment leaving Edmonton on March 24 going to Warsaw, Poland, and then trucked into the Ukraine.

On April 6th we gave another 2 lifts (1,048 bags) to Faith Mission to be included as part of a future shipment to the Ukraine.

Also on April 7th, we gave 20 lifts (10,676 bags) to GEMS.  This shipment is going to Montreal to be loaded on a ship April 20th with expected arrival in Gdansk, Poland on May 11th, 2022.  It will be trucked to Warsaw, Poland and further trucked into Ukraine, exactly where is to be determined by GEMS – depending upon the Russian military.

 Our dehydrated vegetable mix arriving in the Ukraine.

When rehydrated this is equivalent to over 1,970,400 cups of vegetable soup.  The people who receive this product often include chicken, rice, spices, etc. to enhance the soup, chili, or whatever they make.

The Global Food Shortage has not decreased with the Russian invasion in the Ukraine, but increased immensely.  

For this reason we cannot lose sight of the people of Central and Southern America, Africa, and other parts of the world experiencing food shortages and hunger.

Jim Grossman is the Media Liaison, Prairie Gleaners Society 

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