How You Can Send Help to Ukraine Right Now

Watching crisis unfold anywhere in the world is heartbreaking, and not knowing how to help can make situations feel even more dire. Reports from inside Ukraine detail a rapid dwindling of medicine and food supplies, and families have even given up their own personal items to neighbours in need who have evacuated unsafe areas of the country. Thankfully, these Canadian charities are mobilizing support of all types to Ukraine, from delivering food and hygiene products to refugees, to donating medical kits to first responders. Here’s how you can support these national initiatives today.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation

In more ordinary times, the CUF is dedicated to supporting Ukrainian culture. Now they’re focused on a humanitarian appeal, and aim to raise $25 million in donations to help with relief efforts all over the country, including food delivery to displaced Ukrainian families. As of mid-March, they’ve reached $17 million, and secure donations of any amount can be made through their website.

Help Us Help

This Ukrainian-Canadian charity was founded in the early 1990s to assist educational and humanitarian aid efforts in both Ukraine and Canada. One of the charity’s first initiatives, which continues today, was developing summer and winter camps in Ukraine to help children develop leadership skills and social connections. They also award scholarships to orphaned Ukrainian children for post-secondary education, and provide social and psychological support for Ukrainian veterans and their families. Currently, donations to Help Us Help will assist with shipping medical kits to first responders caring for victims in Ukraine, as well as providing food and shelter to people in need.

GlobalMedic

GlobalMedic is based out of Etobicoke, Ontario, and was founded in 1998 with the goal of providing emergency response services to communities around the world. GlobalMedic’s Rapid Response Team (RRT)—volunteers and first responders who deliver aid first-hand—are currently assisting in Moldova and Romania with refugee intake and other initiatives like distributing hygiene items and food. The charity and its partners are also assisting in Ukraine, where they’ve converted a hotel restaurant into a makeshift soup kitchen offering free meals to people who have left their homes in search of safety. To donate to their Ukrainian initiative specifically, be sure to select the “Ukrainian Response 2022” option from their donation dropdown menu.

HelpAge Canada

Founded in 1975 and based out of Ottawa, HelpAge Canada assists seniors in Canada and around the world, with a specific focus on improving health and quality of life. The organization currently has 300 staff working in Ukraine (they’ve been offering aid there since late 2014) and surrounding areas delivering food and medicine to older people and their families, as well as assisting with refugee efforts. Donations of any amount can be made through their website.

Disaster Aid Canada

Disaster Aid Canada is governed by Canadian Rotarians, the group of charitable businesspeople. Disaster Aid Canada focuses on rebuilding communities after a crisis—natural or otherwise—via relief equipment like tents, tool kits and water filtration systems. Currently, the charity is directing donation funds towards portable water filters for Ukrainian refugees so they can have access to clean water.

Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC)

HPIC is based out of Quebec and is the only charity authorized by Health Canada to distribute donated medication from Canadian pharmaceutical companies. The organization follows the World Health Organization’s guidelines for medicine donations, and aims to improve access to medical supplies and boost health outcomes in vulnerable communities. HPIC is currently on a mission to raise $240,000 to send humanitarian medical kits to Ukrainians in need, as well as those in surrounding refugee camps.