As we write this, Team CERI, alongside dedicated global volunteers, have been in Moldova working to put warm boots on children during the grip of winter.
Moldova, a small nation bordering Ukraine, has one of the highest per-capita refugee populations in the world. As a result of their geography, Moldova hosts an estimated 127,000 to 138,000 Ukrainian refugees, about 5% of the country’s total population. The shadow of war makes protecting and supporting every child and family more critical than ever.
So why do boots matter so much to CERI?
Let us tell you a story.
The Miracle of Warmth
The history of putting boots (and gloves, and hats) on children at CERI goes back to a miraculous moment in 1998.
A group of doctors from around the globe traveled to Moldova, offering their specialized skills to the country’s vast, crumbling state orphanages, often called “baby houses.” What they found was heartbreaking. There were 66 orphanages housing more than 20,000 children, many of whom suffered frostbite on their hands and feet from the bitter cold.
The doctors reacted instinctively. They didn’t wait for a supply chain or a government mandate. They took off their gloves, hats, and scarves and wrapped the children in them, swaddling them in whatever meager warmth they could offer. It was an immediate, powerful act of love and service.
By 2004, that fateful trip had become an annual operation. The same physicians connected with CERI, asking us to host and expand the scope of this trip. Since then, CERI has distributed boots every year, inviting hundreds of people across the world to join the cause.
A Great Shift
Something else profound happened concurrently in Moldova: the country made a brave and necessary shift, moving away from large orphanages toward prioritizing and establishing family-based alternative care—foster care, kinship care, and small group homes. This was a tremendous stride for child protection, but it ultimately meant we had to reassess the boot mission.
But nothing stops CERI from serving where needed.
Instead of visiting residential care institutions, we partnered directly with the Moldovan government. Our mission evolved into gathering all families at risk of separation or children without parental care, to a common location, like a city hall to continue to provide needed winter warmth.
Because the government knew the capacity and heart of CERI, they gave us a remarkable sign of trust. In a landmark request, they asked CERI to broaden their scope in 2025. CERI was asked to distribute boots to all 10 regions of the country, assuring that 7,000 children—many of whom arrive with cold, wet socks and one pair of ill-fitting, worn boots—get the proper, high-quality footwear they desperately need.
The Enduring Legacy of Service
This “level up” is more than a logistics challenge; it is a calling. It is a testament to the enduring power of unconditional service.
At CERI, we are a Christian organization at our roots. Our hearts are driven by the foundational principles of Service and Love. These values compel us to act, and our service is given freely and equally to all faiths and all people in need. Whether it’s a child receiving warm boots, a family receiving the support they need to stay together, or the refugee receiving shelter—every single need is served without condition or question.
Our faith teaches us that every child deserves protection, warmth, and the chance to thrive.
When you partner with us, you’re not just buying a pair of boots—you’re becoming part of a powerful legacy that began decades ago when a few doctors gave away their gloves and scarves. You are helping CERI answer the government’s call to meet an unprecedented need, and to fulfill the greatest of God’s command: to love and serve our neighbors.
Join us as we step into this expanded mission with Service, Love, and Faith as our unwavering guides.
