This is why the Center for Humanitarian Aid, a secular Russian charity, is here to help. In fact, most people who come to us for assistance are normal people who simply fell through the cracks and find it difficult to get on their feet. They came from a society of guaranteed employment and housing, which leaves them in terrible situations if they become victims of apartment fraud, lay-offs, or document thieves. Some come to Moscow from the regions, expecting that any life is better than one with no work, no wages and no pensions, problems that are widespread outside the capital. But when they get here, they find few opportunities and often cannot afford to return home.
Some people are refugees from other countries, who come to escape war or persecution.
Others are the elderly, living on below-subsistence level pensions, or street children who have run away from orphanages or abusive parents. Although our current primary focus is our soup kitchen, where we provide a hot meal to 150 people, seven days per week, we have branched into other areas. We distrubute clothing and basic medicines. We have started a program for needy children, where they can receive basic education and have creative recreation. During the summer, we wish to start a support program for children whose primary caregiver is a pensioner.