I don’t have a sufficient lexicon with which to attempt to summarize everything that is going on right now.
Shit is fucked in myriad ways; here are some ways you can help.
Important note 1: We’ve been collecting resources and have tried to verify as many as we can when possible. If you know of a donation option that isn’t listed here, please do add it in the comments. (And if your comment is flagged, it’s likely because of links. I’ve adjusted the settings, but it can be finicky. I’ll be watching the moderation queue, so no worries.)
Important note 2: As my former senator Cory Booker has said, Don’t let your inability to do everything undermine your determination to do something.
Nothing going sideways right now can be stopped or fixed by one of us, but we can work in small ways to help those are who are immediately involved, affected, and in need of assistance. And we can take care of each other.
By all means, do think locally, too. I know my local mutual aid societies are collecting funds for arriving refugees from several places around the world, and chances are there is a local mutual aid near you that would love a hand.
From Sneezy, and her amazing friend Merelhyn who works with refugees in France, a few tips:
In terms of financial support, small, steady donations are more helpful than supplies or a one time larger sum. Donating an amount you can afford, a dollar for example, on a monthly basis is better than donating sporadically, such as a one time donation of $20.
By having regular donations they know they can depend on, organizations will know what their regular budget is, and this empowers them to make concrete plans for how they will support and defend migrants. In Merelhyn’s words, “The regularity itself is a gift.”
As a rule, cash donations are always better than buying and sending supplies. Organizations with sufficient funds are able to buy much more supplies, orders of magnitude more, than what you would be able to as an individual. Established organizations will be able to stretch your money much further.
Ok, strap in, because we’ve got links. There are many, many options (because there are many, many problems).
Ukraine Aid and Global Refugee Support
- Charity Navigator’s page of recommended refugee aid charities
- Charity Navigator’s page of organizations offering aid in Ukraine
- HIAS – The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society has existed since the 1880s specifically to address refugee crises.
- The Kyiv Independent shared a series of charities in Ukraine
- This absolutely mammoth list of options on Reddit comes from the Kyiv Independent
- World Central Kitchen is working in multiple sites throughout Poland and Ukraine
- @ksvarnon’s comprehensive page of links profiles several organizations that provide aid and support to disabled and chronically ill, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ refugees
- Voices of Children is a Ukrainian charity providing psychological support to children affected by war.
- Nova Ukraine is focused on humanitarian aid, but you can see some of their programs listed under “before the war.”
- Raven’s page of links for Ukrainian organizations.
Trans Youth and LGBTQ+ Support
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- The National Center for Transgender Equality
- The Transgender Law Center
- The Trevor Project
- Human Rights Campaign
- The Transgender Education Network of Texas
- This thread from Heron Greenesmith has many local trans support organization links
- This robust thread from Sage Coffey also has many support options
- Raven’s page of LGBTQ+ support links including some specifically for Texas and others specifically for Florida
What organizations have you supported that you recommend?
Thank you for compiling this list. it’s overwhelming trying to decide which charities will get the resources to where it’s desperately needed and not in the pocket of a charities executives.
I’m including this link:
https://www.charitywatch.org/
Looking for the helpers keeps me moving forward. Thanks for being helpers ❤️❤️
The Kyiv Independent has a Patreon, if anyone wants to support them.
https://www.patreon.com/kyivindependent/posts
Thank you! This is an excellent list. A few other organizations and other ways to get involved are in http://bit.ly/ukraine-at-war. This is written by a Ukrainian linking to highly respected charities on the ground.
Most of my family are in Kyiv right now while I cannot do much beyond fund-raising and reaching out to my MPs. But I can assure you that all support is very much valued and appreciated by the people there.
An iconic Chicago area restaurant chain, Portillo’s, incomprehensibly announced yesterday that they are opening storefronts in Texas.
Texas.
I’m generally there once a week picking up food for my godson, who is basically a hostage to covid protocols as he is institutionalized. I’ve already written my letter notifying them that I will be getting my hot dogs, italian beef and chocolate cake elsewhere in future. I urge my fellow Illinoians to do the same. It may be the largest source of shipping orders, but that’s not a reason to reward such a backward fascist place with tasty treats and the ability to keep their cash in their state. Let them send their dollars up here and pay shipping.
Honestly, it’s Chicagoland, I can throw a stick and hit a great dog or beef. I’ll survive. Robin may miss his chocolate cake shakes, but MY chocolate cake kicks theirs’ ass, and I own a blender.
Sorry, forgot something.
Michael Osanloo
Portillo’s
2001 Spring Rd #400
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Hope my rant is not inappropriate given that this post is about helping,
I follow Ryan Reynolds on Twitter (mostly because he’s hilarious), but he’s also a good egg who likes to use his platform wisely. Currently that means that he helped raise money for the Un Refugee Agency. He and Blake Lively matched donations up to $1,000,000 and while they have apparently hit the match limit, it does not mean that you still can’t give.
https://give.unrefugees.org/220224ukr_emer_d_4983?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=generalmedia&utm_campaign=US_PS_EN_UA___220225&utm_content=support&SF_onetime=7011K0000022eOkQAI&SF_monthly=7011K0000022eOpQAI
I compiled a list of Ukrainian knitting designers in a blog post this week: http://www.blackbunnyfibers.com/supporting-our-own/
Some exquisite patterns and I imagine any extra income would be greatly appreciated by the designers.
I saw this news article this morning and thought it was a clever out of the box approach.
https://fortune.com/2022/03/04/airbnb-rentals-help-ukraine-funnel-money-ukrainians-russia-invasion/
This is not specific to any of the issues above, but I donate to Partners in Health, who do good work with building infrastructure and health networks in impoverished countries.
For general donations and info, go here: Partners In Health
To donate to their project to reduce maternal mortality in Sierra Leone, go here: Maternal Center of Excellence: Partners In Health
Thank you for this. I’ve been a fan of Charity Navigator for a long time. It helps me focus my giving. I’ve book marked Raven’s site for the future, as well.
I’m a long time donor to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR.https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/
Also, the Obama Foundation has put together a good list of local organizations. https://www.obama.org/updates/help-ukraine/
https://www.khalsaaid.org/ is my go to – they help everyone, everywhere (even fed people in the US after hurricanes.) They have innovative programs that help people (got Yazhdi women different cloths that htey picked out themselves and also taught them sewing skills so they could go into business) Just an all around great charity that seem to be the experts on helping immigrants. And they don’t try to convert people