How to Help People in Ukraine

Co-authored by Direct Relief and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked outrage and condemnation from world leaders, but what can an ordinary citizen in another country do to make a difference? If you’re ready to do your part to help the Ukrainian people, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for a thorough list of credible organizations to support and other ways to help and stay informed about the unfolding crisis. Your support can help make a difference.

1

Give to medical relief organizations.

Donations will give much-needed medical aid to civilians and military personnel. Hospitals and medical facilities in eastern Ukraine are under fire, and doctors are working in perilous conditions to care for civilians and soldiers.^{[1]
X
Research source} Donations will bolster paramedics, doctors, first-aid kits, and medical training on the front lines and in disaster areas. Donate to these organizations to help:
- United Help Ukraine^{[2]
  X
  Research source} is a nonprofit volunteer organization that distributes money, food, and medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees and families who have lost soldiers to war: https://unitedhelpukraine.org/about-us
- Razom for Ukraine^{[3]
  X
  Research source} is a non-profit charity providing medical gear to Ukrainians: https://www.facebook.com/RazomForUkraine
- Sunflower of Peace^{[4]
  X
  Research source} provides first-aid backpacks to paramedics on the front lines. Each backpack holds enough supplies to treat up to 10 people: https://www.facebook.com/donate/507886070680475/
- The International Committee of the Red Cross^{[5]
  X
  Research source} is providing humanitarian and medical relief to Ukrainians affected by the invasion: https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/europe-central-asia/ukraine
- The Ukrainian Red Cross^{[6]
  X
  Research source} is providing humanitarian aid to refugees and training doctors: https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate/
- The British Red Cross^{[7]
  X
  Research source} has started a fundraiser to provide food, medical supplies, shelter, and water to Ukrainians in crisis: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
- International Medical Corps^{[8]
  X
  Research source} deploys mobile medical teams to Ukrainian communities affected by the conflict: https://give.internationalmedicalcorps.org/page/99837/donate/1
- You can also support a local organization that you know is responding.^{[9]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Direct Relief
  Humanitarian Aid Organization
  Expert Interview. 10 December 2018.}

2

Donate to support children and families.

Donations can help children and families survive difficult war conditions. Up to 400,000 Ukrainian children are currently living in the conflict zone. In addition to medical aid, families need access to education, hygiene kits, financial assistance, and psychosocial services.^{[10]
X
Research source} Donations will help ensure that Ukrainian children continue to learn, grow, and cope with the hardships of war. Consider a donation to one of these organizations to help:
- Save The Children^{[11]
  X
  Research source} is a London-based organization providing aid to vulnerable Ukrainian children: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/ukraine
- Voices Of Children^{[12]
  X
  Research source} supplies psychosocial support to Ukrainian children and families affected by the war: https://voices.org.ua/en/
- The International Rescue Committee^{[13]
  X
  Research source} helps families conflict zones around the world and is accepting emergency donations to Ukraine: https://help.rescue.org/donate/crisis-in-ukraine
- CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund^{[14]
  X
  Research source} is distributing food, water, hygiene kits, and other aid to Ukrainian families, women and girls, and the elderly: https://my.care.org/site/Donation
- OutRight Action International^{[15]
  X
  Research source} supports LGBTQ+ organizations providing shelter, safety, and security to marginalized Ukrainians: https://outrightinternational.org/ukraine
- UNICEF^{[16]
  X
  Research source} is providing health and nutrition resources, water, education, and sanitation to children and families caught in the crossfire: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/en/emergency-response-conflict-eastern-ukraine
- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)^{[17]
  X
  Research source} is giving financial assistance and opportunities for resettlement for Ukrainian refugees: https://www.unrefugees.org/what-we-do/
- Nova Ukraine’s^{[18]
  X
  Research source} Heart2Heart initiative assembles and distributes care packages to Ukrainians in need: https://novaukraine.org/
- Remember—anyone can make a difference by donating, and every single penny helps.^{[19]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Direct Relief
  Humanitarian Aid Organization
  Expert Interview. 10 December 2018.}

3

Aid the Ukrainian military.

The Ukrainian military is outnumbered and needs support. Money, gear, medical aid, and other resources are in short supply. Ukrainian civilians are donating their own money and collecting and distributing resources themselves to support their beleaguered troops.^{[20]
X
Research source} A donation to one of these organizations helps give the Ukrainian forces a fighting chance:
- Army SOS^{[21]
  X
  Research source} manages the purchase of food, uniforms, and other supplies and distributes aid directly to Ukrainian troops: https://armysos.com.ua/en/
- Revived Soldiers Ukraine^{[22]
  X
  Research source} provides medical aid to Ukrainian soldiers and support to their families: https://www.rsukraine.org/
- Phoenix Wings^{[23]
  X
  Research source} provides non-lethal protective equipment, first aid kits, and building repairs: http://wings-phoenix.org.ua/en/about-fund/

4

Support Ukrainian journalists.

Journalists and reporters are civilians that need protection to share the news. They provide access to free, accurate, and independent information that’s needed to combat misinformation campaigns.^{[24]
X
Research source} Support journalists and news outlets to keep the world informed about the true nature of the conflict in Ukraine. Donations help reporters receive training and resources to deliver the news safely.
- The Kyiv Independent^{[25]
  X
  Research source} is an independent English-language media outlet you can support via GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyivindependent-launch or Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kyivindependent
- The Committee to Protect Journalists^{[26]
  X
  Research source} is calling for the protection of Ukrainian journalists during the invasion: https://support.cpj.org/site/Donation

5

Read trustworthy Ukrainian news sources.

Staying informed with accurate information combats confusion and disinformation. Propaganda, false narratives, and photos and videos taken out of context by unverified media outlets can mislead onlookers.^{[27]
X
Research source} Follow these verified Ukrainian news sources to stay up-to-date on the conflict:^{[28]
X
Research source}
- The Kyiv Independent is a leading voice on the front lines: https://kyivindependent.com/
- The New Voice of Ukraine covers news in English, Ukrainian, and Russian and provides informative analyses and op-eds from Ukrainian scholars: https://english.nv.ua/
- Ukraine World is active on social media and has independent journalists on the front lines gathering first-hand footage: https://ukraineworld.org/
- The Kyiv Post is non-independent and state-funded, but delivers breaking news and statements directly from the Ukrainian government: https://www.kyivpost.com/

6

Follow informational social media accounts.

Social media spreads news and ways to help Ukrainians around the world. Follow verified, legitimate accounts to hear personal stories from Ukrainians affected by the war and to stay up-to-date on the quickly changing and dangerous situation. Social media is also home to many grassroots efforts to raise money and awareness. Here are some informative Instagram accounts to follow:^{[29]
X
Research source}
- Stand With Ukraine is a community page sharing updates on the conflict and ways that followers can support Ukrainian citizens: https://www.instagram.com/withukraine/
- Svidomi is an English-language account that shares frequent posts about what’s happening on the front lines: https://www.instagram.com/svidomi_eng/
- Ukrainians In Solidarity posts messages of solidarity and easy-to-understand updates and information on how followers can support Ukraine: https://www.instagram.com/ukrainiansinsolidarity/

7

Share information responsibly.

Share fact-based information to promote awareness and encourage others to help. Look for reliable, fact-checked news stories and sources, and be wary of misinformation (it’s a major part of Russia’s war strategy). Don’t post any information related to the movement or whereabouts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.^{[30]
X
Research source}
- Propaganda videos on platforms like TikTok and Twitter are already causing confusion among viewers, so make sure you’re following and reposting from accounts sharing verified information.^{[31]
  X
  Research source}

8

Join a peaceful protest.

Protesting spreads information and demands action from your government. Anti-war protests are sprouting all over the world. Many are happening outside of Russian embassy buildings in major cities. Protests and rallies are effective ways to communicate your stance when you’re unable to donate or share information (or when you just want to do more).^{[32]
X
Research source}
- Search for a protest near you: https://standwithukraine.live/peace-protests/
- Remember to stay alert and protest safely to avoid violence and injury, COVID-19, or legal trouble.

9

Boycott Russian goods and services.

Boycotting keeps your money from supporting Russian aggression. Boycotts support the severe economic sanctions many world leaders have put in place to strain Russia’s economy and prevent more violence and escalation. You can do your small part by refusing to buy products made in Russia and, if possible, swapping them with Ukrainian goods.^{[33]
X
Research source}
- Major brands to boycott include Lukoil, Aeroflot, Baltika Beers, and ZeptoLab games.
- A Ukrainian app called Boycott The Occupiers can identify whether a product is Russian-made or not.^{[34]
  X
  Research source}

10

Write to your government representatives.

Encourage your government to send aid and condemn Russia. Contact your state and federal government representatives and urge them to support additional sanctions against Russia and to step up the aid they’re providing to the Ukrainian people and military.^{[35]
X
Research source} A handwritten letter catches more attention, but in this urgent case, an email is appropriate too.^{[36]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- Here is a template message to send in support of Ukraine: https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/about/priorities/end-russian-aggression/
- If you’re an American citizen, you can look up your Congressional Representative here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
- You can also look up your Senators here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Community Q&A

Question

What are reliable sources to donate food to?

R2_d2000

Top Answerer

There is no reliable source to donate food to that will get it to Ukraine due to logistics issues. However, you can donate to CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund, which will distribute food.