| | | I have been donating to Ukrainian organizations that are helping, but there are plenty of others, such as UNICEF that are getting involved. We have family over there, fortunately in the western part of the country, although I have a friend that has parents in Sumy, where there has been heavy fighting, and she is having trouble contacting them.
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How to help Ukraine: 7 verified charities working to help Ukrainians amid invasion
Here are some charities that are trying to bring aid to the people in Ukraine.
On Thursday, Feb. 24, Russia began its attack on Ukraine.
With heavy casualties expected on both sides, you might be wondering how you can help.
On TODAY Monday, NBC News correspondent Kerry Sanders highlighted two organizations that are on the ground at the Ukrainian border providing food and shelter for refugees streaming out of the country.
Global Empowerment Mission The Miami-based organization Global Empowerment Mission is on the ground in the tiny village of Medyka, Poland, using donations to buy refugees train and plane tickets to help them reach any family or friends they may have in Europe.
"They have an opportunity to stay with a friend of theirs, you know, (in) a bordering country where they’re in the warm and they can eat nice meals at the table," GEM founder Michael Capponi told Sanders.
globalempowermentmission.org
World Central KitchenFor many refugees, food is an immediate need. Chef Jose Andrés has set up his World Central Kitchen on the ground at the Ukraine-Poland border providing warm meals for the hungry.
"Nothing sends a bigger message of hope than a humble plate of food. And that’s the only thing we know how to do," Andrés said. "America is gonna be with the people of Ukraine."
WKC.org
TODAY also compiled a list of United States-based charities that will put your money to good use, based on information from their websites. Here are five organizations you can support:
Global Giving Ukraine Crisis Relief FundThe Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by Global Giving sprung into action once Russia declared war on Ukraine earlier this week.
According to the organization's official website, your donation will help "affected communities in Ukraine, with a focus on the most vulnerable, including children, who need access to food, medical services, and psychosocial support."
Not only that, but the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund will "support humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where Ukrainian refugees have fled."
International Rescue CommitteeAs the conflict in Ukraine escalates, the International Rescue Committee is getting ready to prepare for the worst. Right now, it is mobilizing resources to aid the people in Ukraine who were forced to flee their homes.
"The IRC is meeting with partners and local civil society organizations in Poland and Ukraine to assess capacity for responding to an increase of refugees and people in need," said the organization on its official website. "We will work to respond where we are needed the most and with the services that are needed urgently. Whatever the needs are, we are preparing to meet them.”
 A child sleeps in an armchair as other stands around in a shelter during Russian shelling, in Mariupol, Ukraine.Evgeniy Maloletka / APSave the ChildrenAccording to Save the Children, there are 7.5 million kids who are in danger of physical harm, emotional distress and displacement due to the invasion in Ukraine. Even before the conflict escalated this week, there were already 400,000 children there who needed humanitarian aid.
That's why Save the Children has made their own Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund to help Ukrainian families now. On their official website, the organization said that it will use donations to help families meet their basic needs such as food, medicine and shelter.
Save the Children's specialist teams will also help Ukrainian children get access to education and psychosocial support.
 People wait in a traffic jam as they leave the city of Kharkiv, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine.Antonio Bronic / ReutersRazom for Ukraine Razom for Ukraine has been helping Ukrainians since the organization was first established in 2014. It aims to help Ukraine pursue a democratic society that has civil rights for all.
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"This is not the first time we are all facing the hybrid war against us. And together we will stand strong!" the charity said on its Facebook page.
According to its official website, the organization is named Razom for Ukraine because Rzaom "means 'together' in Ukrainian and serves as a constant reminder of the community that it takes to create, build and do, to stay the path towards a more prosperous and democratic Ukraine."
The International Committee of the Red CrossThe International Committee of the Red Cross is helping the Ukrainian Red Cross assist people who were affected by the conflict there.
Once war broke out, ICRC president Peter Maurer released a statement on the organization's website.
"The ICRC’s priority is to assist those in need," he said. "This week we delivered 3,000 liters of potable water to Dokuchaevsk hospital and sent 7,000 liters to Donetsk municipality."
"Recent work also includes visits to places of detention to help improve hygiene and nutrition," he added. "The security situation permitting, our teams now in Ukraine will continue their work to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items."
"We will also continue our bilateral and confidential dialogue with the parties to the conflict to protect those affected by the fighting," Maurer continued.
More notable charities:If these charities don't appeal to you, then Charity Navigator — a platform dedicated to educating Americans about non-profit resources — suggests giving these organizations a try:
Save the Children World Help GlobalGiving Operation USA Catholic Relief Services International Medical Corps Project HOPE UNICEF USA Direct Relief |
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