No politics - please share vetted relief organizations. Scam artists consider crises like this to be gold mines.
Also please note any scams of which you are aware.
Our synagogue sent out this link:
(Hoping this doesn’t violate TOS).
10 Likes
Thank you for starting this thread! I’m personally looking for legit orgs that provide support for pets (and their owners) affected by this senseless war. In case anyone wondering why pets… just look at the heartbreaking pictures of refugees clinging to their cats or dogs… these animals provide a lot of comfort to their humans. 
7 Likes
Many are booking an airbnb night or two in Kyiv for asap. Airbnb is waiving its fee and paying the hosts promptly so it gets cash to them . My host sent a very nice note saying how much it was appreciated.
1 Like
As @BunsenBurner noted in the scam thread, you have to be sure that the air bnb “donations” are going directly to individuals. Also per a CNN report:
Some people are warning that scammers could set up fake Airbnb accounts in Ukraine to capitalize on the world’s generosity. Those booking rentals are encouraged to examine the listing carefully and read reviews to make sure the host is legitimate and has been operating for some time.
6 Likes
I found this:
2 Likes
I’m a fan of Charity Navigator, so sent to a couple of my go-tos which showed up on this list: Ukraine Relief & Recovery | Charity Navigator
4 Likes
In PA, many Ukrainian churches are working hard to help, complete with volunteers who have no affiliation with the church. Here’s an article I googled. There may be Ukrainian churches nearer anyone who wants to help with money or time:
1 Like
1 Like
World Central Kitchen is an amazing organization, run by chef Jose Andres. They began feeding people within hours of the initial invasion. His group has chefs cooking hot meals at multiple border crossings for refugees. They’ve also begun working in five cities in Ukraine to feed those who are still there. They work with local chefs and restaurants everywhere they go so they are supporting the local economy in addition to feeding people in need. 4/4 stars on charity navigator.
22 Likes
Thank you for the reminder!
@BunsenBurner - I had also been searching for animal groups in Ukraine; it’s heartbreaking. Here are two that I found, but I have no idea if they are legit or how they could possibly be operating.
1 Like
My first donation was to World Central Kitchen. If you donate to it (and some other appropriate organizations) through the Paypal Giving Fund, they don’t charge the fee. There are several other very good possibilities in a Washington Post article on this topic which was updated 3/3. You can find it by searching the WAPO site for “How to Help Ukraine.” The comments, which are far more uplifting than usual, also have some good possibilities for donations and other actions.
7 Likes
I have been following Alexander Vindman’s Twitter feed, and he is raising funds through the Vet Voice Foundation that will be directed to MOAS for use in providing ambulances and other medical relief in Ukraine. The donation to Vet Voice Foundation runs through ActBlue, but this effort seems to be nonpartisan and purely humanitarian. https://twitter.com/AVindman/status/1500196061083836419
8 Likes
The other night I saw a local news clip and it had a Russian Orthodox priest on asking for donations through Catholic Relief charities. I know this priest because his son went to grade school with my daughters. He ran a (tiny) Russian Orthodox church but also worked for the Catholic archdiocese, as did his wife. He was saying that the Russian church is helping the Ukrainians. I trust him.
“The Better Business Bureau has accredited the following nationally-soliciting charities which are involved in Ukraine relief: Catholic Relief Services, Direct Relief, GlobalGiving, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Operation USA, Save the Children, and United States Association for UNHCR.”
4 Likes
Thanks for asking. I got this list from a colleague, with his notes on some of them:
USEFUL RESOURCES on UKRAINE (primarily for donations)
https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ — the RETURN ALIVE FOUNDATION [Personal Note: I’ve tried this Kyiv-based charity several times and it was the easiest to use. Like the NBU site they have info on SWIFT codes and accounts, but they require setting up payees through your bank accounts, etc, etc. The easiest way to donate to this charity was via Fondy.eu: you only need a credit card, preferably one that sends a text message with a code for purchase verification. If yours doesn’t, call your card provider and ask them not to block your transaction (or to clear it if you went ahead and it’s pending).
NBU Opens Special Account to Raise Funds for Ukraine’s Armed Forces (updated) — special accounts (in different currencies) of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU, like the US Dpt of Treasury) for the Ukrainian Armed Forces / [I tried it in in different ways, and it worked but wasn’t always very straightforward (e.g., you have to go through your bank, add a payee, which will then need to be verified, and take a few more extra steps), but it’s definitely a very credible source.
How can I help Ukraine? | Twitter | Linktree OR Razom For Ukraine - Ukraine Charity Aid Resources | Linktree — extensive lists with links to various resources, ranging from ways to donate, to reliable UKR media, to social media accounts.
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/ukraine-crisis-relief-fund/ — Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by Global Giving.
UNHCR | Donate to help refugees and displaced families from Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and around the world — United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees / use this site if you’d prefer to donate to an international organization.
https://www.siepomaga.pl/ — a charity in Poland (where many refugees from Ukraine will go)
https://www.uuarc.org/ — United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, Inc / aid to victims of war in Ukraine / via GoFundMe
Here's how you can help the people of Ukraine : NPR — a list of trusted international organizations from the NPR
Here’s how to donate credibly to Ukraine relief organizations —a list of credible organizations from NBC (including, Catholic Relief Services, Direct Relief,Global Giving, International Rescue Committee, and Save the Children)
2 Likes
Just saw an article about this in the paper:
1 Like
Jewish United Funds have donated like over 20 million and counting. Many cities have local branches.
I tend to go to WCK first because of their strong record of getting the job done, but I found this list from the Obama Foundation helpful as well.How You Can Help the People of Ukraine - Obama Foundation
3 Likes
Our governor is inviting Ukrainian refugees to come to Colorado. He’s asking for people to provide housing, jobs etc.
8 Likes
My sweet and lovely lady (cat) is gone now, but I put myself in the place of these people and I can’t imagine any of it-but trying to protect her or God forbid having to leave her-it’s just unthinkable.
2 Likes