With scenes of devastation in Ukraine playing out daily in the news, Americans are naturally asking the question of how they can help.
At the same time, the federal government has warned of online charity scams and cyber attacks in relation to the invasion, so a dose of skepticism is advisable before clicking “donate.”
A few organizations locally are trying to help Atlantans sift through the chaff. The World Affairs Council of Atlanta, which has devoted itself to increased programming aimed at helping the community understand the ripple effects of the war, has compiled a list that includes both international humanitarian organizations like CARE and UNICEF as well as local nonprofit groups like the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America — Georgia Branch, which was profiled in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The vetted list, last updated March 18, also includes ways to support media outlets in Ukraine and help send medicine to the conflict zone. It even includes a link to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America, which says it will deliver donations in-person to affected individuals. See the full World Affairs Council of Atlanta list
Atlanta-based fintech firm CharityVest, which aims to increase generosity by providing donor-advised funds for individuals and helping companies offer employee giving accounts, said it’s always best to work with trusted organizations if at all possible.
For those in need of suggestions, the company relayed a list from The Center for Disaster Philanthropy, categorizing organizations based on whether they support medical needs, distribution of food and essentials, refugees, media or vulnerable populations. (See the list and read thoughts from the CharityVest team here — the company keeps a database of 1.4 million U.S.-based nonprofits on its site and allows donors to give through their CharityVest account.)
The New York Times put together its own list, highlighting Mercy Corps and three other organizations the newspaper found “especially worthy” after its own extensive research. See that interactive here
In announcing support of more than $1 million in emergency funding Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc. also included links that employees could use to support the UPS Foundation’s global partners: CARE, IFRC, Salvation Army, UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP.
UPS has transported 56,000 winter coats, 1 million meals (160,000 pounds of food for 250,000 refugees), medical supplies worth $4 million, 10,000 blankets for refugees, 100 pallets of hygiene items. Logistics professionals from UPS are also working with the United Nations to facilitate the movement of supplies, according to a release.
The company is not moving donated items from the U.S. to Ukraine, based on previous disaster experience that has persuaded UPS that “collection drive items rarely reach the intended recipients.” Learn more about the UPS approach here, which includes the ability for UPS workers to send messages of support to responders on the ground