How to Help Support the People of Ukraine Right Now

The war in Ukraine is a scary, heartbreaking tragedy to witness from afar, and multitudes worse for those experiencing it firsthand. Civilian homes and public infrastructure have been targeted and millions of citizens have fled their country in search of safety.     

Many of those left in Ukraine are not only left fearful for their lives but are also without basic necessities like water, heat, electricity, or access to stores and health facilities. Food and supplies are becoming increasingly scarce, and the need for humanitarian efforts and aid is only growing. 

Additionally, neighboring countries have generously welcomed scores of refugees, but their own systems are overwhelmed and ill-equipped for such a drastic response. Physical, emotional, and mental resources are all desperately needed, and of course, this is all happening amidst a global pandemic.

As we watch the crisis unfold over the news and on our social media feeds, it’s easy to feel distant and helpless. If you’re wondering how to help, here are some resources and ways you can support Ukraine now. 

Organizations to Support 

There are many organizations and nonprofits out there dedicated to humanitarian efforts. It can be difficult to parse through them all and decide who to support. 

Here are a few suggestions of trusted organizations actively working in Ukraine or with refugees nearby.

1. Médecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)

   MSF staff are on the ground in Ukraine delivering medical care and supplies and working with local volunteers, organizations, health care professionals, and authorities to help people travel to health care facilities.

2. UN Refugee Agency (UNHRC)

   UNHRC is a global organization dedicated to saving lives and protecting the rights of  refugees. They aim to provide emergency assistance to families in Ukraine. 

3. International Medical Corps

   This global nonprofit has been serving Ukraine in primary medical care and mental health services. They are now working to help refugees and expand services for people affected by the current crisis.

4. MAP

   MAP International provides medicines and health supplies to those in need.

5. UNICEF USA

   UNICEF supports health, sanitation, and protection and is also on the ground in Ukraine helping children and families. It is rated one of the best charities to donate to.

6. Project HOPE

   In Poland, Romania, Moldova, and within Ukraine, Project HOPE emergency teams are delivering essential medicines and other relief for refugees and the displaced.

7. World Central Kitchen

   World Central Kitchen provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The food network has set up mobile kitchens at border crossings around Ukraine to meet the needs of refugees. 

8. CARE

   This international humanitarian group is providing food, water, and other essentials to those escaping violence in Ukraine.

9. International Committee of the Red Cross

   ICRC is supporting the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross in helping those impacted by war.

10. United Way Worldwide

    The nonprofit set up a relief fund to provide transportation, shelter, food, and medicine. Donations to the United for Ukraine Fund can be made here.

11. SERV

    SERV is an Atlanta nonprofit that I personally know, and while they are primarily focused on food, they are also connecting with churches in Hungary and other border countries to get all kinds of resources to those in need.

Additionally, here is a list put together by the cybersecurity experts at Safety Detectives, and it also includes some charities for the animal lovers out there.

Finally, I’m also the CMO at Vector Global Logistics, and we are sponsoring two ocean containers of aid per month and hosting “Leveraging Logistics for Ukraine” working sessions for industry peers who are involved in this effort, or who would like to be.

These are just some of the many great organizations working to support the people of Ukraine. Looking into and donating to any of the above is a worthy contribution. 

How to Avoid a Scam 

While most organizations are in it for the right reasons and truly want to provide supplies and relief, there are always those willing to take advantage of a tragedy. It’s important to be careful when considering giving your support or money to an organization. 

The best thing you can do to avoid a scam is research. Websites like Charity Navigator or Give Well allow you to search organizations and evaluate your options. These nonprofits essentially do most of the work for you. 

Charity Navigator in particular has an assessment tool designed to protect donors from charity scams and misconduct by providing objective information. The star rating system makes it easy to quickly determine the key factors of an organization and ensure you’re “giving with confidence.”

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission also recommends including the words “scam” or “complaint” when searching for an organization online. This could bring up reviews from others and results that suggest if they are legitimate or not. 

And, of course, be wary of social media posts. Make sure to put in adequate research for any links, numbers, or GoFundMe pages you see that are soliciting donations before you contribute. 

Ways You Can Support Ukraine Now

So what can we do with all of this? How can we act now? You can show your support with any of the below actions.

• Donate money to a trusted organization (like any of the above!).

• Donate supplies or goods—get a group together or act alone. But this is most recommended for companies, nonprofits, and large organizations who have the ability to pay for shipping and also have distribution options on the ground. As individuals, a financial donation is your best bet.

• Educate yourself on the crisis and talk with others about it.

• Share credible information with friends, family, and colleagues.

• Inspire and encourage others to get involved.

• Participate in a peaceful protest or demonstration.

• Stay informed. 

Creative Ways to Stand With Ukraine

While all of the above are incredibly helpful, if you want to take things a step further here are some more out-of-the-box ways people are stepping up to support Ukrainian people. 

• Book an immediate Airbnb stay in a Ukrainian city - Many people have begun booking stays at various places around the country as a new way to send direct financial support to Ukrainians. Airbnb has also temporarily waived all host and guest fees in Ukraine. Be sure to communicate to the host that you will not actually be staying at their listing, but that you are just extending support. 

• Purchase a digital download from a Ukrainian seller on Etsy - Ukrainian artists may not be able to ship physical items, but you can still purchase digital ones as another way to send direct funds to sellers and support small business owners in the region. Etsy also canceled current balances owed to Etsy by all sellers in Ukraine, including listing fees, transaction fees, advertising fees, and more.

• Take an Uber - If you need to get a ride via a ride-sharing app, consider using Uber. The company announced they’re launching an in-app donation button to allow Uber riders in the US to make donations to the International Rescue Committee. They’re also matching donations up to $1 million. 

• Go local - Research local businesses in your area that are supporting Ukraine. Many local restaurants and shops have begun to host events or donate profits to many of the above organizations. Here is a list of Atlanta restaurants and pop-ups that are supporting Ukraine. 

As with the charities above, do your research to make sure you are giving to a legitimate person or organization!

And even if all you can do is help spread awareness, that’s still incredibly impactful. There’s power in numbers, and the people of Ukraine need all the help they can get right now.

You know the power of social impact and involvement. Each of us truly can make a difference alone, but we all must work together to fight for freedom. 

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I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

How to Give Back With Your Small Business

Over the summer, I had the desire to be more charitable with Signify. It’s generally a slower season, and that gave me a little more capacity to think about how I wanted to utilize my business to give back to the “do good” community at large.

You might look at a small business like mine think that philanthropy is very easy for me, given that my service offerings and products are primarily built for cause-focused organizations. And in some ways, that’s true. But I’m also a solopreneur still in the early stages of my business. So, it’s not like I can take off every week to volunteer or send out large checks on a regular basis.

If you’re a fellow startup, entrepreneur, or small business, you probably understand the dilemma.

Still, I knew there were ways to capitalize on the summer months if I was creative. I wanted to give more than the occasional volunteer hours or one-off check here and there. And I knew that the fall would be incredibly busy, so this was going to be a short-term effort.

So, I looked around at what I had to give and who I wanted to serve, and formulated a plan.

The Good News About Charitable Giving For Small Businesses

In my current work at Signify, as well as my many years of volunteering for and working in nonprofits, I’ve learned a lot of things. But one of the chief take-aways is that small organizations can use anything you have to give.

That is fantastic news for solopreneurs and small businesses who want to be more charitable. Only have a little to give? No problem!

Whether it’s a few volunteer hours, small donations (regular or now and again), or some other in-kind service, it will be put to good use by those with limited resources. Plus, you’ll get to participate in the causes that you care about! And, if that wasn’t enough, you’ll get to build personal relationships with the people solving problems that matter to you.

This Solopreneur’s Solution

As I mentioned, I formulated a workable plan for my summer giving. I decided that dishing out free marketing advice was the best thing I could offer. After all, standing in the gap for nonprofits and social enterprises who don’t have a marketing department was the reason I created Signify in the first place. So, my time and expertise was the most valuable commodity I had to give.

I held what I called “office hours,” which were set consultation hours during the week that any purpose-driven organization (for- or non-profit) could sign up for. There was no cost and no pitch for working with me afterward. It was just a chance to get their marketing and communications questions answered, or get feedback on their current efforts.

It was a lot of fun, and I ended up meeting some awesome people. I learned about new organizations, and was able to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. Additionally, it was like a thousand degrees in Atlanta, and didn’t require me to leave my house, ha! ;)

How Will You Give Back With Your Business?

For my fellow entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses, I hope I’ve given you some inspiration in beginning your own philanthropic journey. I’m proof that being charitable doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to cost you a lot of time or money. But I promise, to those you end up helping, it will be extremely valuable!

If you’d like some direction on how you can be more giving with your business, I’ve written a four-step plan over at Honeybook/The Rising Tide Society. There, I’ll walk you through the stages of how to add philanthropist to your job title.

Download the free worksheet to walk you through giving back with your small business! (No opt-in required!)

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing and consulting services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I also teach solopreneurs and small businesses how to incorporate philanthropy and giving strategies. I believe that cause-focused organizations are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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