Pagalbos Centras (Help Center)

In 2004 Gifts of Grace Ministries had their first opportunity to meet and to be welcomed into the family of Pagalbos Centras. Pagalbos Centras is a Help Center to those in need not only in the city center, but the outlying areas of Birzai, Lithuania. Since becoming a part of this organization, we have had the privilege of watching Pagalbos Centras grow from one center to now three centers. Centers are located in Birzai, Paceriaukste and Papilys.

The three centers offer a Day Center for children, Family support, Food for children and Families, After School Education Program, a program for special needs children, field trips for the children that are both fun and educational. They also feed the children each day when they come to the center and often you will see someone dropping by for a bowl of soup or a cup of tea. No one is ever turned away. Gifts of Grace helps to supply the children at the centers and in the villages with educational needs, clothing, and various other needs as they arise.

Pagalbos Centras also offers a social rehabilitation service for the disabled in the community. As of the first of this coming year (2023) there will be 18 persons being served.

Pagalbos Centras in Paceriaukste serves in the same way, and they also add a Bakery to their services. The center normally bakes all kinds of buns and cakes, not only for all three centers, but for some of the Nursing Homes nearby. Also, the children from all three centers have special days when they come and bake homemade pizza.

Another component to these centers, which helps fund the salaries of the workers are the 3 Kiosk in which they operate. In these kiosks they sell clothing, furniture, and household items to the public. The items are donated by friends from Sweden, Finland, and other countries. The Kiosk are located in Birzai, Pasvalys and in Paceriaukste.

The center also offers a place for women to gather each week. This gathering is a place where the ladies can meet, bring a dish of food to share with each other, and share what’s going on in their lives.

The Director of Pagalbos Centras is Regina Zidoniene and has been director for the last 15 years. She and her team of Ladies are remarkable women and always go the extra-mile for those in need and the children and families in which they serve. Gifts of Grace is very thankful and blessed to be a part of this organization.