Since
1981, the PACCF has been conducting a very active "Relief
for Poland" program through which over 260 million
worth of humanitarian aid was provided to hospitals, orphanages,
rehabilitation centers for the physically and mentally disabled,
the ill and the needy of Poland. Over the years, the PACCF
humanitarian aid has reached over 200 rural hospitals and over
80 homes for disabled children. Each year, the PACCF
helps thousands of children and adults throughout Poland.
The
PACCF also sponsors two special cardiac centers and has
arranged training sessions for doctors and medical staff from
Poland. The PACCF Book Program provides thousands of
books annually to Poland's medical schools, universities, hospitals
and other institutions to provide modern up-to- date literature
and reference materials. Between the years 1992 - 1995 the PACCF
engaged in a special program to help the disabled and the elderly
in homes throughout Poland, and continues a very active program
of providing medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and hospital
equipment.
During
the summer of 1997 as record rains and floods ravaged the Polish
countryside, the PACCF sponsored a flood relief program.
Through its telethons, radiothons and numerous fund drives conducted
across the United States, the PACCF has been able to
fund shipments of relief supplies and medicines valued at over
$10 million.
The next phase of relief assistance was be that
of "Assisting in Reconstruction". The 1998
harvest was lost due to flood. The PACCF worked with
institutions and organizations in the health sector, agriculture
and in education. The PACCF also donated pharmaceutical
drugs, medical supplies and specialized rehabilitation medical
equipment to hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers throughout
Poland.
Over
the years the PACCF has shipped close to 300 million
dollars relief programs to Poland. These goods, equipment ,
medical supplies, food, clothing, books and farming implements
were distributed throughout various geographic regions in Poland
and included hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centers.
PACCF
DELEGATION IN POLAND, JULY 2010
A
Meeting with Caritas Polska
Warsaw --
On July 20, 2010, the PACCF delegation visited the headquarters
of Caritas Polska, the largest Catholic charity in Poland. PACCF
President Virginia Sikora, PACCF Vice Presidents Christopher
Nowotarski and Steve Tokarski, and PACCF Director Bo
Padowski presented a donation of $10,000 to Caritas for a program
called "Backpacks Full of Smiles" or "Turnister
pelen Usmiechow." The funds will be used for back-to-school
supplies for Polish children who were affected by the recent
floods in Poland. Over 5000 backpacks have been filled with
supplies -- and with smiles -- so far.
Other programs
discussed during the meeting that the PACFF will continue
to support in the future include sending aid to children in
Poland suffering from childhood diseases. Father Marian Subocz,
Director of Caritas Poland, expressed his gratitude to Polish
Americans for their generosity and for their continued support
of the people of Poland, especially its youngest citizens, whose
lives are often the most affected by economic hardships.
A
Meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Warsaw --
On July 21, 2010, the PACCF delegation visited the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and met with Undersecretary
of State Grazyna Bernatowicz, who is responsible for political
matters and policy development within the EU and for North and
South America. Present at the meeting were PACCF President
Virginia Sikora, PACCF Vice Presidents Christopher Nowotarski
and Steve Tokarski, PACCF Director Bo Padowski, and Aleksander
Sielicki, President of the Polish Cultural Center in Krasnodar,
Russia.
The PACFF
and the Polish Women's Alliance of America offered financial
support for a joint effort to send Polish children from areas
affected by the recent floods to Krasnodar for a summer camp.
Undersecretary of State Bernatowicz expressed her thanks for
the donation of $8,500 ($6000 from the PACCF and $2500
from PWA) which will underwrite the program. Other possible
areas of cooperation between the East and West were discussed
as were the efforts of Poles living around the world to bring
aid to the flood victims in Poland. The PACCF, along
with the PWA and PNA, have donated $23,500 so far and the fundraising
continues. The PACCF delegation also met with the Marshal
of the Senate Bogdan Borusiewicz.
The first
group of young Polish Americans left for Poland on Sunday, July
18, 2010. Here is a group photo taken at Chicago's O'Hare International
Airport shortly before departure. The group has arrived safely
in Warsaw and will spend the next two weeks traveling across
Poland, visiting her cities, exploring her historical treasures,
and getting to know her people. The second group leaves for
Poland on August 1st. The Summer Program is funded by the PACCF,
Wspolnota Polska, and by the fraternals of which the students
are members.
Youth
Group gathers at O'Hare International Airport on July 18, 2010
In
July 2009, PACCF President Virginia Sikora and Director Bo Padowski
visited a number of institutions in Poland and presented them
with much-needed donations that will be used to the help the
blind, deaf, and disabled. The recipients included the Institute
for the Blind in Laski, the Polish Alliance for the Blind, the
Jakub Falkowski Institute for the Deaf, and an elementary school
in Ksiazki.
President
PACCF Virginia Sikora presents a donation of $10,360 to Sister
Gabriela from Towarzystwo Opieki nad Ociemnialymi in Laski near
Warsaw, Poland - July 2009.
At left, Laski Director Murawska (104 years old), at right Bo
Padowski, Director, PACCF.
The
Director of the Jakub Falkowski Institute accepts a donation
of $1,480 from PACCF President Virginia Sikora, Warsaw, Poland,
July 2009.
PACCF
President Virginia Sikora presents a donation of $2,960 to Polski
Zwiazek Niewidomych in Warsaw, Poland, July 2009.
During
the July 2009 visit, President Virginia Sikora and Director
Bo Padowski also met with representatives from other Polish
institutions who have requested aid from PACCF in order to determine
their needs firsthand. These included the Institute for the
Blind in Sobieszewo, the Society for Aid to the Deaf and Dumb,
and the Franciscan Sisters in Warsaw who are building a school
for the blind in Rawanda.
Sister
Izabela from Towarzystwo Opieki Nad Ociemnialymi shows PACCF
President Virginia Sikora the grounds in Sobieszewo near Gdansk
in Poland, where they would like to build a rehabilitation center
for the blind and disabled. The estimated cost of the project
is $3 million Polish zlotych.
PACCF
President Virginia Sikora and Bo Padowski, PACCF Director discuss
the needs of the deaf and blind with represenatives of TPG (Towarzystwo
Pomocy Gluchoniniewidomym) in Warsaw, Poland July 2009.
Virginia
Sikora and Bo Padowski admire a sculpture titled "Chrystus
Frasobliwy" by Stanislaw Wojtowicz from TPG.
The
sculptures made by the blind and the deaf.
Leszek
KOCZOT - Madonna z dzieciatkiem
Zdzislaw
SOBCZAK -
Boleslaw Chrobry
Maria
SZELACHOWSKA - Kot w butach
In April
2008 PACCF President Virginia Sikora and PACCF Vice President
Christopher Nowotarski met in Poland with President of "Wspolnota
Polska" Andrzej Stelmachowski to discuss the planning and
development of a new Cultural Learning Program for Students.
The pilot program is being organized for summer 2009 with the
cooperation and joint efforts of two organizations -- PACCF
and "Wspolnota Polska".
PACCF together
with Stowarzyszenie Wspolnota Polska organized the first Cultural
Learning Program for students held in Pultusk, Poland, this
summer. Nineteen children between the ages of 12 and 15 from
three organizations participated: Polish Women's Alliance of
America, the Polish Falcons, and the Polish Roman Catholic Union.
Most of the participants had never visited Poland before and
most did not speak Polish. They visited Warsaw, Krakow, Oswiecim,
Wieliczka, Torun, and Jasna Gora in Czestochowa. It was an exciting
learning experience for the participants, who learned a lot
about the history, culture, and traditions of the land of their
ancestors.
Students
at Wawel in Krakow
Shopping
time in Sukiennice, Krakow
Making
friends
Pizza
time in Pultusk
Good
bye time
PACCF President
Virginia Sikora and PACCF Director Bo Padowski met with President
of Stowarzyszenie Wspolnota Polska, Marszalek Maciej Plaszynski,
to discuss and evaluate this summer's pilot program for students
in Poland.
During the
meeting, President Sikora stressed the importance of continuing
to offer such educational and cultural programs in the future
to Polish American teens living in the United States.
PACCF
President Virginia Sikora with Marszalek Senatu Bogdan Borusewicz
From
left Krzysztof Lachmanski, President Wspolnota Polska Pultusk
branch, Virginia Sikora, PACCF President, Bogdan Borusiewicz,
Marszalek Senatu and Bo Padowski, PACCF Director.
From
right PACCF President Virginia Sikora , President Stowarzyszenia
Wspolnota Polska Marszalek Maciej Plaszynski, PACCF Director
Bo Padowski and President Wspolnota Polska Pultusk Branch Krzysztof
Lachmanski.
THANKS
TO OVER 20 YEARS OF LOYAL SUPPORT
as of the end of year 2007, the number of shipments to Poland
totals
over 1100 forty (40) foot marine containers plus shipments via
LOT Polish Airlines, and through parcel shippers such as DOMA
for grand total value close to $260 million.
PACCF
TOTAL SHIPMENTS TO POLAND VALUE BY YEARS
YEAR
VALUE
1981
$5,591,053
1982
$21,641,700
1983
$13,032,538
1984
$9,880,845
1985
$19,183,500
1986
$16,560,453
1987
$19,910,024
1988
$15,258,720
1989
$16,380,552
1990
$26,133,885
1991
$18,595,058
1992
$11,654,571
1993
$4,077,502
1994
$5,827,288
1995
$5,922,482
1996
$2,227,186
1997
$3,915,128
1998
$5,239,156
1999
$9,012,913
2000
$4,425,000
2001
$1,555,467
2002
$4,650,458
2003
$3,337,546
2004
$9,540,000
2005
$3,094,344
2006
$1,766,440
2007
$1,000,000
TOTAL
$259,413,809
Today,
PACCF continues to help over 100 hospitals and more than
80 orphanages and rehabilitation centers.
