Some new ways to help Ukrainians
You keep asking, so I keep making lists. Please donate.
These memos I have been sending seem to be well received, so I will send another. An atrocious Russian invasion continues in Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees continue to cross the Polish border, and the Russian press is still silenced.
Yet one thing is encouraging: whenever I speak to my colleagues in Ukraine, they are all doing something. The everyday courage is astonishing. We should help if we can. When I spoke to colleagues in Poland today, I was also astonished by the swift reaction of civil society to more than a million Ukrainians refugees. I think we should affirm that impulse when we can.
Here are a few ways to help. I have made donations today and I hope you will too.
1. Ukrainian reporters are, directly or indirectly, our main source of information about this war. Many of them are at work now at risk to themselves without salaries and proper protective gear. A fund that will direct support and equipment to journalists taking risks in Ukraine is 2402. Have a look.
2. For Americans who want a tax deduction, Razom remains a good bet. This is a volunteer organization that will make good judgements about partners for humanitarian assistance. Donate to Razom here.
3. Hundreds of small Polish NGOs are assisting Ukrainian refugees now. One of them that deserves support is Homo Faber in Lublin, near where many Ukrainian refugees cross. You can help them with a bank transfer:
Name of recipient: Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber; Purpose: Ukraina; IBAN: PL 93 1940 1076 3069 8598 0000 0000; SWIFT: AGRIPLPRXXX; Name of bank: Credit Agricole Bank Polska SA, ul. Legnicka 48, 54-202 Wrocław, Polska. If you are on PayPal you might also be able to reach them that way: PayPal Stowarzyszenie Homo Faber, ul. Chopina, 41, lok. 2, 20-023 Lublin, e-mail: info@hf.org.pl.
4. People have been using Airbnb as a way to transfer money to individual Ukrainians by booking rooms they do not intend to use. If you do this, make sure the phone number of your host has a 380 prefix (country code for Ukraine) and contact the host ahead of time. Airbnb as a a company also enables people to help in another way, by offering lodging to Ukrainian refugees.
5. Canada has a large and well-organized Ukrainian diaspora, and its organizations are raising money for assistance to Ukraine. Here is the the appeal of the Canadian Red Cross.
6. To provide assistance to civilians in need, you can now donate directly by credit card to the Ukrainian Red Cross.
7. The Russian press blackout is shocking. I urge you, if you want to support Russian reporters, to fund Meduza, working from Riga.
PS: The interest in supporting the Ukrainian armed forces is consistent, so I repeat that information here.
The organization Come Back Alive concentrates on protective gear and other equipment for soldiers. You can donate using the information here.
Army SOS supplies medical equipment but also everything a soldier might need. You can donate in cryptocurrency following this link or make a bank transfer in dollars via: IBAN: UA203052990000026003016809842; SWIFT: PBANUA2XXXX; Bank: JSC CB "PRIVATBANK
You can contribute directly to the Ukrainian armed forces via credit card. If you prefer a bank transfer that information is here.
Thank you. More analysis coming soon.
I have now got in touch with eight hosts and I am fully booked in Kyiv until 10th April. Yuri, my first host, still keeps in touch. This is from yesterday and contains some information that other sponsors might be pleased to know about:
Hello, Elizabeth!
We can spend money. You can withdraw from an ATM, you can pay with a card.
We send this money to people who are left without a salary for food.
We send them to the military for clothing, we send them to the manufacture of helicopters for the army, there are craftsmen who collect them.
We also populate our apartments for free with refugees.
We also just help friends who are without food.
Here the police asked for clothes, we will also send them to her.
I'm in Kiev. I won't leave. My wife is stubborn as a sheep and also does not want to leave without me. It makes me angry, I'm worried that she's here. After all, if people come with machine guns, who knows what they have in mind.
I have made many friends abroad and you are among them.
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My exchange with Tatiana felt a little surreal at the outset:
Доброе время суток, Елизавета! Я Киевлянка. Родилась и живу в Киеве.
У нас идёт война!Должна сказать Вам что у нас очень опасно....
(Tatiana says that she lives in Kyiv, she was born there. Then she says that there is a war raging in Ukraine and she must tell me it is very dangerous to go there...)
Erzsebet15:33
Tatiana, I know there is a war going on. This is why I want to help. I will book your flat and you will get some money. I am not coming. Many of us are trying to help this way. Is that OK? Hugs, Elizabeth
I will come and see you after the war :-)... I have just booked three nights. Take care, Elizabeth
Татьяна16:11
Елизавета Спасибо Вам
(Tatiana is grateful.)
Erzsebet16:15
See you after the war :-), E
Татьяна16:23
Спасибо Вам за вашу поддержку❤️, Буду очень рада видеть Вас в своих апартаментах. 🙏🙏🙏
(Tatiana says I will be welcome at her place in the future.)
Erzsebet16:32
My privilege, Tatiana, stay safe, E
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There is also an amazing young man, who has set his cancellation policy as "No refunds" and in a long message asks patrons to cancel their bookings after their payment has gone through so that the dates released in this way become available again. When I suggested this to Yuri, this was his laconic reply (also responding to my reaction to what he said about his wife): Your wife is a headstrong lady. Hug her for me :-)...
Жену обниму, спасибо!
А отмену делать мне неловко.
Просить человека неловко.
I'll hug my wife, thank you!
And it's embarrassing for me to cancel.
Asking a person is awkward.
---
Sorry for this long message. I am just trying to say that we need to take into account people's dignity and pride when we provide assistance.
After the war is over, I am planning to go to Kyiv and meet my hosts :-).
I would like to add another way to help … With a 9 year old granddaughter with type 1 diabetes I am particularly sensitive to the special needs of this community. Now with over 2 million refugees having fled Ukraine and this number increasing at the rate of almost 150,000 per day, those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at great risk due to this condition. They have been separated from their regular medical care, diabetes treatment supplies, and care. Ukraine has approximately 130,000 citizens with Type 1 diabetes and 2.3 million with type 2 diabetes. Many of these are women and children now refugees and without access to critical care and supplies at significant risk. The U.S. diabetes community is working to address this critical need. You can learn more about how to help and join in this effort here:
https://beyondtype1.org/help-ukraine-diabetes-community/
The organizations behind this effort are well organized and recognized. If you are able please help in these efforts.
Thank you, 🙏🏻🇺🇦💙💛