SJC Giving Day Update: 50% for Ukraine

This is a story about how the Saint Joseph’s College community steps up in times of crisis, and how you can help.

Last week we learned about Nataliia Iantsevych, a nurse practitioner at Maine Med and a two-time nursing alumna of Saint Joe’s. Nataliia made the news because she has returned to her hometown of Lviv, Ukraine, where she will help care for wounded soldiers and refugees.

Nataliia’s bravery is astonishing, and a potent example of Mercy in action. It inspired us to ask a question: If this brave alum can risk her life to help her home community in Ukraine, how can we best help suffering Ukrainians, too? 

The obvious answer: Giving Day. We can follow the example of the Sisters of Mercy, and position this important day to meet the greatest need.  

With Giving Day just a few days away, President Dlugos reached out to our Honorary Scholar-in-Residence, Donato Tramuto, whose TramutoPorter Foundation and Health eVillages Organization is already busy sending urgently needed supplies to Ukraine. Donato was excited to commit $5,000 from his Foundation to kickstart an urgent new call to action. President Dlugos and his wife Melissa will give an additional $2,500.

We’re calling this effort 50% for Ukraine. That means half of our total raised through our web portal this Friday, March 18th will be directed to another inspiring part of the extended SJC community: Partners for World Health (PWH).  

Some of you will remember that PWH’s President, Elizabeth McLellan, was the recipient of an SJC Honorary Degree in 2015. Its headquarters are located in Portland. This wonderful organization works with medical partners throughout New England to collect excess medical supplies and equipment for partners here and around the world – and they are up and running in Ukraine.

If you’re inspired by Nataliia, and if your heart breaks at the images from Ukraine, you can come together with your fellow Monks and help both communities rise. 

As always, our Giving Day goal is about participation. We’re looking for 850 friends to support SJC this year. But with your help, we can send our message of Mercy far and wide. Please tell your friends and family to join you in giving whatever you can. Tell them they can support learning excellence and extend a lifeline to victims of a human tragedy at the same time. 

What you can do next:

Give what you can. 

Share our Instagram post. 

Share our Facebook post.

Tell your friends and family.

Thank you for everything you do for the SJC community, and communities in need like Nataliia’s home in Ukraine. Together we can help both communities rise. Please join us this Friday.