Alex Poppe 
Everyday Ukrainians–architects and accountants, truck drivers and teachers–have suddenly found their neighborhoods turned into a war zone. They pick up weapons or learn how to make Molotov cocktails, prepared to fight for what they believe in. Some who can have left. Over 1 million people, mostly women and children, now find themselves refugees—homeless, in different countries, among strangers, everyone speaking different languages. Meanwhile, in cities large and small across the world, anti-war demonstrators unfurl blue and yellow flags or carry blue and yellow signs in support of Ukrainian sovereignty. If you’d like to stand with Ukrainians impacted by violence, here are some locally-led organizations to consider.
Preemptive Love’s Network of Peacemakers
Polish Humanitarian Action supports the most vulnerable, including the elderly, women, and children with humanitarian assistance such as medical assistance, food baskets, hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags, and other basic necessities. Founded in 2014, Polish Humanitarian Action also provides legal counseling, social counseling, psychological counseling, career coaching, and vocational training. They also renovate water and sanitation infrastructure in public spaces.
Loads of Love works exclusively in Ukraine. They provide food relief and health services, including surgeries, primarily to children living in orphanages. They have resources to help special ed children. With approximately 50 full-time volunteers, Loads of Love runs a variety of programs such as summer camps for children and apartment renovations for the parents of special needs children,
Locally-Led Organizations Working in Ukraine
If you know someone who needs help, the following is a list of organizations currently providing relief in Ukraine or in its neighboring countries.
Voices of Children provides psychological support for children living through war. It uses art therapy and storytelling to foster well-being in children and provides financial support for families who have suffered from the effects of war.
Vostok SOS facilitates immediate evacuation support for Ukrainians fleeing violence. There is a hotline for Ukrainians in need and in the future, Vostok plans to provide trauma support to victims of the Russian invasion.
Mission to Ukraine focuses on serving pregnant women and special needs children in Ukraine. They provide pregnant women with counseling and medical, financial, emotional, and spiritual support. They restore dignity to special needs children by providing medical, therapeutic, psychological, and educational services to families of special needs children.
Razom in Ukraine collects money for refugees moving across Ukraine while supporting civilian and military soldiers. Their current top priority is getting tactical medical supplies to where they are needed most.
Families are struggling everywhere. If you can’t afford to give financially, you can still support Ukrainians by helping to create a world without violence. Visit a Ukrainian-owned business where you live. Seek out the work of Ukrainian artists, poets, and historians who unpack the effects of this past century’s wars on Ukrainian families. A doctor we spoke to this week in Kyiv said the one thing that people abroad can do to help is to be well-informed about the situation in Ukraine.
