Stories

One year after an earthquake in Türkiye and Syria affected close to 18 million people, killed over 55,000 and injured hundreds of thousands of people, Episcopal Relief & Development continues working with local partners to help residents recover. As a part of this ongoing effort, Episcopal Relief & Development has supported the installation of a solar-powered water pump that will ensure access to safe water for more than 35,000 individuals in Soran.

Anna, Dmitry and Kristina, three teenage university students, lived in the suburbs of Mariupol in Ukraine. As soldiers filled the streets and parked their tanks, they also began to loot apartments. A friend recommended they go to a refugee support center in Budapest, which an Episcopal Relief & Development partner was running through the ACT Alliance. They traveled by train and, after five days, found a place to stay in Budapest, Hungary. There, they were provided food, shelter and emergency supplies.

As we enter 2024, Episcopal Relief & Development President & CEO Rob Radtke, reflects on growing up in a rectory and asks what greater gift we can offer each other this coming year than love and kindness.

What can a Taylor Swift and Beyoncé concert teach us about creating lasting change in the world? Teri Lawvner, Chair of the Episcopal Relief & Development Board, shares her reflections and insights.

Josephine Hicks thanks her family for their contributions to faith, education, and public health while highlighting Episcopal Relief & Development’s impactful community work this Thanksgiving.