How We Can Help the People of Ukraine
Just as we imagine you are, we at "talkin' 'bout Our Generation" have been following the events in Ukraine with a mixture of outrage and heartbreak. We may feel powerless, but as Dr. Joseph Shrand reminds us in a recent episode, "small changes can have big effects."
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As we continue to seek solutions to "The State of Civility in America," this is one time we can all stop fighting among ourselves as Americans, and act as one.
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Below are some links to ways we can help the people of Ukraine. Just reading through this list and visiting the websites of these dedicated humanitarian groups can restore your faith in humanity. The News tends to focus on the brutal, senseless horror of Putin's insane war -- but cumulatively, the list here is a helpful antidote. Just as we need to remember there is a balance to incivility, we need a reminder that there are millions of good people working hard and giving support to help the battered people of Ukraine. Take a moment to read about them -- it will lift your heart. And by all means, donate if you can.
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(To confirm that your donation is going where it is needed, you can check any of these charities via CHARITY NAVIGATOR or CHARITY WATCH):
CARE. The international humanitarian group is providing food, water and other items to families fleeing violence in Ukraine. Contribute here.
Convoy of Hope. The disaster relief group says it's partnering with a local Polish organization to provide meals to refugees entering Poland, as well as to deliver food, water and other basics across the region. Donate here.
CORE. The emergency response nonprofit is on the ground in Poland, distributing hygiene kits and thermal blankets, as well as emergency cash assistance to help families resettle. Contribute here.
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Doctors Without Borders. Staffers with the medical relief organization remain in Ukraine and are "seeking ways to respond to the medical and humanitarian needs as the conflict evolves." Offer support here.
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An estimated 11 million tons of clothing, footwear, towels, bedding, drapery, and other textiles end up in U.S. landfills every year. Give Back Box® has teamed up with some of the biggest retailers in the U.S., including Overstock, Amazon, Loft, REI, Levi’s, Asics, Ann Taylor, LEGO, Nordstrom, Viva Terra, Ecru, Bonobos, Scrubs & Beyond, eBags, Lou & Grey and many others to make it possible for these items to be donated and shipped to charities. using pre-paid shipping labels .
The organization is now shipping containers with ONLY clothes, shoes and blankets new or in very good condition to be distributed to Ukraine Refugees in Poland. Donate via GoFundMe Here.
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Global Giving. The Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund has raised more than $12,600,000 to support humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where Ukrainian refugees have fled. GlobalGiving's local partners are bringing relief to terrified and displaced communities, and they need resources to continue their life-saving work. Contribute here.
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International Medical Corps For more than 20 years, International Medical Corps has been deploying medical personnel and equipment to populations affected by conflict, disaster and disease in difficult and dangerous environments. They are on the ground in Ukraine, with a logistics and support hub in Poland, working with health agencies and local partners to expand relief efforts inside Ukraine, as well as in neighboring countries, to provide medical, mental health and protection services to the millions of people affected by the conflict, including refugees. Support their work here.
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The Kyiv Independent The Kyiv Independent is a crucial independent source of accurate information on Russia’s war against Ukraine, with reporting from inside the country. The English-language media outlet was created November 11, 2021 by over 30 journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence. They declare that they “refuse to be dependent on a rich owner or an oligarch,” and vow to “serve its readers and community, and nobody else.” This effort relies entirely on donations to produce its web-based publication. To help them keep publishing, donate via Patreon or their GoFundMe Campaign.
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Organizations helping the LGBTQ Community in Ukraine:
LGBTQ Ukrainians in America QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America is the first association of LGBTQ Ukrainians and their allies in the United States. Russia's war has displaced millions in Ukraine. LGBTQ+ people are particularly vulnerable. QUA is connecting a network of LGBTQ+ allies in the United States who are willing to offer emergency assistance to this at-risk community in Ukraine. Go here to see the various ways you can support their work.
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Outright Action International The LGBTQ community is often excluded from relief efforts because of systemic discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Put bluntly, our community simply cannot count on mainstream systems for help. OutRight is determined to assist LGBTIQ Ukrainians in their fight to survive this brutality. 100% of donations to OutRight’s Ukraine Fund go directly to local LGBTIQ partners in Ukraine and neighboring countries to provide emergency assistance to LGBTQ people who need safe shelter, food, competent medical care, transportation for those who are fleeing, and other types of humanitarian support. To donate or volunteer, go here.
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Helping Rescue Animals left behind in Ukraine:
International Fund for Animal Welfare In the mass exodus of people fleeing The Russian invasion of Ukraine -- which is indiscriminately targeting civilian areas -- animals are left behind. The IFAW is working together with personal contacts in animal shelters and animal rescue efforts in Ukraine, providing funds for food and care. They are also working to identify zoos damaged or under threat, and reaching out to farmers. Learn how you can support their work here.
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PETA ​Right now, tens of thousands of traumatized animals and their guardians are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. PETA Germany, supported by the Global Compassion Fund, is on the ground, helping animals and their families escape to safety. Joined by other activists, PETA Germany’s team brought dozens of animals from Ukraine across the border into Poland. As of March 12, the team has now rescued more than 400 cats and dogs from Ukraine. Donate to PETA's rescue efforts in Ukraine Here.
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International Committee of the Red Cross. The Swiss-based organization is supporting the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross in helping those impacted by the war. Donate to the ICRC.
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International Medical Corps. The first responders' organization has teams inside Ukraine and in the surrounding regions to offer medical and mental health services. Link to contribute.
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Internews. Supports independent media and at-risk journalists in 100 countries, with regional hubs including in Kyiv. Donate here.
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"Keep Ukraine's media going" is a GoFundMe campaign for journalists around Ukraine that also aims to help reporters relocate and continue their work from neighboring countries. Donations can be made here.
Kyiv Independent. The English-language news site has launched a GoFundMe campaign asking for support.
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The 762 Project. Volunteers have been collecting, analyzing and posting information about Russia's troop buildup along Ukraine's border for much of the past year. Support the project here.
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Nova Ukraine Nova Ukraine is a nonprofit organization (EIN 465335435) dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine and raising awareness about Ukraine in the United States as well as in the rest of the world. They fund a variety of efforts to help the people of Ukraine and to strengthen Ukraine’s civil society, and collaborate with nonprofits and volunteers on the ground to further their mission. Since December 2013, they have collected over $7 million in donations. Donate here.
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Project Hope. The global health and humanitarian relief organization is on the ground in and around Ukraine delivering medicines and medical supplies. It has teams in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and Romania. Donate here.
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Razom Emergency Response for Ukraine Emergency Response is the SOS button that is pressed in times of need. We created this project to provide urgent help and support in face of an extreme and unforeseen situation in Ukraine. Today, the sovereign nation of Ukraine has to deal with the most horrendous and catastrophic emergency – a brutal invasion. Razom is responding to this by providing critical medical supplies and amplifying the voices of Ukrainians. Donate Here.
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Romania Update: Live from the Border by Project HOPE on YouTube
Razom for Ukraine. Started in 2014 and devoted to building a stronger democracy in Ukraine, the nonprofit is now "focused on purchasing medical supplies for critical situations like blood loss and other tactical medicine items." Here's a list of supplies it has purchased already and an appeal for more support.
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Save the Children For over a century. Save the Children has worked to o save children’s lives in the hardest-to-reach places, where conditions are at their worst. tDonations go to provide blankets to children affected by conflict, nutritious food to a family in crisis, emergency shelter materials and more. You can support their work here.
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Sunflower of Peace. The nonprofit's current mission involves providing medical and humanitarian aid to people impacted by violence in Ukraine. It's accepting donations through its Facebook page.
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UNICEF. The global group devoted to safeguarding children is working to provide humanitarian supplies to families without safe water or electricity due to the conflict. Contributions can be made here.
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United Help Ukraine United Help Ukraine i was started in 2014, after the Russian attack on Ukraine, and focuses on Individual First Aid Kits for service members of Ukrainian Armed Forces and hospital equipment, Personal Protective, Medical, and Survival Equipment Humanitarian Aid: monetary grants and shipping of goods to internally displaced Ukrainians and refugees.
They organize fundraisers for the Ukrainian wounded, including support for their families, as well as hosting rallies and cultural events to bring attention to Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and independence.. Donate here.
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United Way Worldwide. The world's biggest privately funded nonprofit has set up a relief fund in response to the intensifying humanitarian crisis to provide transportation, shelter, food and medicine, including infant supplies such as baby formula. Donations to the United for Ukraine Fund can be made here.
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Voices of Children. The Ukraine-based charitable foundation has been offering psychological counseling, including art therapy, for children affected by war in the country's east since 2015, according to its site. The group is currently helping children and families across Ukraine, including helping with evacuations.
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World Central Kitchen. Founded by world-renowned chef José Andrés after an earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010, the group provides meals to people in need around the globe. Andrés is now feeding Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border. Working at a 24-hour pedestrian border crossing in southern Poland, WCK began serving hot, nourishing meals within hours of the initial invasion in February, and are now set up at eight border crossings across the country. Additionally, they are supporting local restaurants preparing meals in eight Ukrainian cities including in Odessa, Lviv, and Kyiv. WCK teams are also on the ground in Romania, Moldova, and Hungary.Those wanting to help finance the group can do so here.
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If you know of a charity that should be added to this list, please let us know at info@ourgenpod.com