How to donate to Ukraine relief efforts

Kelly Anne Smith - Forbes Advisor

Associated Press

Russia’s war in Ukraine is intensifying. The United States and most of the other western powers have condemned Russia for invading Ukraine, joining together to implement massive sanctions that are only beginning to crush the Russian economy.

Many of us are watching this horrifying war from afar and wondering how we can help ordinary Ukrainian people whose homes, cities and lives are being destroyed before our eyes.

In times of humanitarian crises like this, acts of compassion and generosity can make a huge difference. There are dozens of organizations working directly in Ukraine, or active in nations that border on Ukraine, to provide aid to Ukrainian refugees.

If you’re looking to support people affected by the war in Ukraine, consider donating money directly to the following organizations.

How to Donate to Organizations in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Red Cross

The Red Cross is often on the frontlines of war serving to help those affected by armed conflict. The Ukrainian Red Cross is currently assisting people inside the country by aiding evacuations and providing shelter, food and basic necessities.

Donate to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK), established in 2010, is an organization that deploys chefs directly to disaster areas to provide hot meals to those in need. WCK is currently working in Ukraine and along its borders in neighboring countries.

Donate to World Central Kitchen.

GlobalGiving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund

GlobalGiving is raising funds to support locally-led organizations throughout Ukraine. Any donations to the fund will provide essentials for refugees, health, psychological and support and access to education and economic assistance.

Donate directly to GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.

Vostok SOS

Vostok SOS is a Ukraine-based non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to assisting areas of conflict within Ukraine. The organization is currently accepting donations to help aid local people, evacuate the vulnerable and provide trauma support after shelling.

Donate directly to Vostok SOS via bank transfer.

Credit card payments are also accepted through Libereco, a Vostok SOS partner.

Voices of Children

Created in 2015, the Voices of Children Foundation has been providing psychological support to children affected by war in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine through art therapy, video storytelling, mobile psychologists and more. Now, the organization is working to support children across the country with emergency psychological assistance and assisting in the evacuation process.

Donate to Voices of Children.

Media Support

Donating directly toward the media in Ukraine can help fight against Russian misinformation and keep Ukrainians informed of the latest developments. A GoFundMe has been launched by various organizations to help keep Ukraine’s media outlets running during the war.

Donate to the media support GoFundMe.

How to Support Ukrainian Refugees

The United Nations refugee agency reported on Tuesday that 660,000 Ukrainians have fled the country due to the war. Many have fled to neighboring countries including Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.

Many refugees will be in dire need of basic supplies, food and resources as they’re now forced to rebuild their lives. You can donate to the following organizations to help them do this.

The International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee is a longstanding organization that provides resources to those fleeing countries in crisis, including providing cash assistance, medical treatment and more. The organization is currently on the ground in both Poland and Ukraine to provide support to those who have had to flee their homes.

Donate to the International Rescue Committee.

The Polish Red Cross

As of Feb. 28, most of the Ukrainian refugees have crossed into the country’s eastern neighbor, Poland. The Polish Red Cross has provided humanitarian reception points at Ukrainian-Polish borders to assist those entering with humanitarian aid and medical support.

Donate to the Polish Red Cross. (Note: the website is in Polish, but most browsers have an option to translate pages into English. Donations will be made in local Polish currency, zloty, and will be converted according to your card’s current exchange rate. See here for bank transfer donations.)

Malteser International

Malteser International is the humanitarian relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta and is currently involved in relief efforts for Ukraine. The organization is providing food, shelter, emergency medical care and more both within Ukraine and neighboring countries. You can donate specifically to its efforts in Ukraine on the donation page.

Donate to Malteser International.

***

Categories: Trending, World News