Boyertown-based Fred Beans Automotive Group is donating more than $25,000 to a Ukrainian orphanage

BOYERTOWN — Fred Beans Automotive Group has donated $25,400 to an orphanage in Ukraine that is largely destroyed and in dire need of supplies.

Almost half—25 of the 65 children at the orphanage—have special needs and require assistive devices for mobility and a number of daily tasks. The auto group announced in a release that the initial purchases made with donations from Fred Beans include these devices.

During April, all 23 Fred Beans dealerships set aside a portion of each car sale to help Ukraine. In addition, the automotive group contributed $250 for each vehicle sold during the grand re-opening of Fred Beans Ford of Newtown.

“We have long wanted to show support for the people of Ukraine, whose lives have been turned upside down by the ongoing conflict in their country, and we wanted to alleviate at least some of their suffering,” Beth Bean Gilbert, vice president of Fred Beans Automotive Group. , said the release. “We spent months researching humanitarian and other charities and chose the orphanage to receive our donation, learning how the funds would be used to meet the various needs of children.”

Binz Gilbert worked closely with Father Nicholas of St. Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Warrington to direct Binz’s donations to the Zhytomyr Regional Specialized Children’s Home. She said that in addition to assistive devices and items to meet children’s basic needs, donations will also be used to purchase televisions needed to drown out the sounds of war.

“We know that our donation is small in terms of how great the need is right now in Ukraine,” said Bean Gilbert. “We encourage those who can to make their own donation or contact Father Nicholas to learn about other ways to lend a helping hand. As we say in our automotive group, we’re better together.”

For more information about the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. Anna and Father Nikolai’s ongoing efforts to support the people of Ukraine, call 215-343-0779 or visit http://stanneukrainiancc.com/.