Dozens of charity organizations are trying to help more than 6 million refugees who have left war-torn Ukraine since Russia invaded – and 6.5 million who are believed to be displaced inside Ukraine.
While the United States and NATO members give military assistance and other funding, charities from Ukraine, the USA and international sources provide humanitarian aid, from medicine to meals to mental health counseling.
- Read more: Organizations seek support.
USA TODAY combed through scores of organizations assisting those in Ukraine affected by the war. We've chosen the agencies listed below that help Ukrainian children, refugees, ordinary people and soldiers in need of medical or humanitarian assistance.
Although it's natural to want to help, potential donors are cautioned to do their research to make sure they're donating to a genuine cause.
"Giving responsibly would be to make sure that you're giving with your heart, but you're also giving with your head," says Kevin Scally, chief relationship officer of Charity Navigator, a nonprofit group that evaluates charity organizations.
"You're also doing your due diligence, researching charities and understanding how they're actually responding," he says.
“We know the needs are enormous,” says Tara Waters, director of strategic partnerships at Americares, a global nonprofit organization that improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster.
“More than 6 million refugees have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries,” Waters says. "More than half have gone to Poland."
Many of them escaped with nothing.
Where are Ukraine refugees going?
What’s needed in Ukraine?
“It’s really basic human needs,” Scally says.
“A lot of it is medicine,” he says. “It's people who are recovering from trauma from being in an active war zone or being displaced, and now they don't have the medicine that they typically would be taking.”
Other needs include clean water and sanitary facilities. “Mental health care was also mentioned by different organizations we’ve contacted,” Scally says.
“In an active war zone, that type of immediate and long-term mental trauma is going to be overwhelming for hundreds of thousands of individuals,” he says.
How many refugees have left Ukraine?
Do donations make a difference?
"Yes, absolutely," says Tony Morain, vice president of communications at Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian organization providing medical aid and disaster relief globally. "They make all the difference."
Distributing aid is "like a wheel in perpetual motion," Morain says. "Emergency deliveries are moving 24/7 from our distribution centers to Ukraine. The money helps us with planning and helps backfill unexpected costs."
"Any time you're working in a humanitarian crisis that's in a war setting, there are heightened challenges, including security, protection and safety," Waters says.
On the ground, "getting medical supplies across that last mile, across the border, has been a complex logistical challenge," she says.
Aid for: Overall Ukraine population
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Provides aid for for children and families caught in the conflict in Ukraine.
- Supports Ukrainian Red Cross.
- Provides aid including food, water, hygiene kits, support services and direct cash assistance.
- The United Nations' leading hunger relief agency supports 3.1 million Ukrainians.
- Delivers aid to "the most vulnerable affected populations."
- A health-focused relief and development organization. It says it shipped more than 100 tons of medicine and relief supplies to Ukraine and plans to send more.
- Provides hot meals to Ukrainians affected by war.
- Provides medical aid to doctors and individuals globally to care for people in disasters or crises.
- Delivers humanitarian aid.
If you're thinking of donating, doing your research can't be emphasized enough.
"People should definitely read the fine print when it comes to donating," Morain says. "I recommend that donors look at the website and donation policies to understand exactly how a nonprofit handles donations for specific purposes.
"A simple, straightforward policy is best."
- Read more: BBB Standards for Charity Accountability
UKRAINE-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR CIVILIANS
- Gathers donations and transfers them to Ukrainian ministries, which distributes them by need.
- Aids those on the war's front lines and Ukrainians in need of food and shelter.
Nova Ukraine (New Ukraine)
- Ukraine-based nonprofit provides civilians with needed items.
- Ukrainian government website to provide humanitarian or financial assistance to Ukrainians.
Vostok SOS (East SOS)
- Provides assistance with evacuation, humanitarian aid and psychosocial support.
- Provides food, transportation and refugee help.
- Provides shelter to refugees and humanitarian aid.
Caritas Ukraine (caritas: love and mercy, compassion and charity)
- Provides help to internally displaced and vulnerable people.
Plast (The Plast National Scout Organization of Ukraine)
- Assists internally displaced and vulnerable people.
Bratskoe serdce (Fraternal Heart)
- Assists in evacuations from Donbas.
- Provides humanitarian supplies.
Tvoya Opora (Your Support)
- Purchases medicine, medical products, food, hygienic items and other humanitarian aid.
- Provides humanitarian aid for people in the city of Kharkiv.
- Seeks to protect Ukrainian cultural property.
Ukrainian refugees
- Provides emergency assistance to families in Ukraine.
- Provides shelter, food, water and other aid to 500,000 refugees.
- Assists refugees around the world who have been forced from their homes.
- Provides medical supplies and assistance to refugees in and out of Ukraine.
- Raises money for security verification of hosts offering their homes free of charge to Ukrainian refugees.
- Will temporarily house 100,000 people fleeing the conflict.
- A U.K. group that encourages residents to volunteer their homes and host Ukrainian families fleeing the conflict.
- This team in Moldova assists refugees on the ground.
- This charity distributes emergency packs containing food, blankets and hygiene products in Poland.
- This U.K.-based charity aims to help Ukrainian refugees navigate the visa process.
- Provides resources and support for women and children in Poland fleeing Ukraine.
- Provides humanitarian aid to refugees and is active in evacuation attempts.
NBU's Fundraising Account for Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainians
- National Bank of Ukraine provides food, medicine, shelter and financial aid for refugees and citizens displaced in the military conflict.
- Provides help to refugees from Eastern Ukraine.
LGBTQ+
- Provides medical care, food, clothing, shelter, legal aid and support for Ukraine’s LGBTQ+ community.
- Provides emergency assistance to LGBTIQ people who need shelter, food and transportation.
Medical
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Médecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
- Helps people travel to health care facilities and access prescribed medications.
- This nonprofit provides primary health care and mental health services.
Razom for Ukraine (Together for Ukraine)
- Provides medical supplies, humanitarian aid and support volunteers on the ground.
Leleka Foundation (Stork Foundation)
- Provides first-aid kits for emergency medical responders and fighters.
UKRAINE-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
- Assists doctors.
- Provides aid to wounded on the battlefield.
- Provides help to vulnerable and wounded soldiers.
- Raises money for medicines for Health Care Institutions.
- Provides medicine and medical products to the health facilities in Ukraine.
ZDOROVI agency (HEALTHY agency)
- Delivers medicines and medical equipment to hospitals.
Children
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
- Provides aid to children.
UKRAINE-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
- Provides psychological and psychosocial support for children.
- Largest children's hospital in Ukraine.
Tabletochki (Pills)
- Provides aid for children with cancer.
Journalism
- English-language newspaper covering the Russian invasion.
- English-language newspaper covering the Russian invasion.
- Independent data visualization media reporting on the invasion.
Animals
- Provides funds for those taking care of animals amid the attacks.
- Provides funds for food, shelter and other necessities to animals and animal shelters in Ukraine.
- Animal rescue group in Ukraine.
Ukrainian army support
UKRAINE-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR MILITARY
- Provides armor, ammunition, first-aid kits and other equipment for Ukrainian military and humanitarian aid. Their site says: The Foundation buys protective gear, optic devices, drones, medical supplies, and transport vehicles for the military. We also provide humanitarian aid.
- Helps families of emergency workers who have died.
- Funds medication and medical supplies for army hospitals on the front line.
- Provides humanitarian aid and supplies for the Ukrainian military. From their social media posts: We purchase food, medicines, clothes, hygiene products and walkie-talkies for army units, wounded soldiers and provide humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees.
- Supports units of the armed forces of Ukraine with laptops, lights, photo equipment, cables and equipment maintenance. Their site says: Our organization is aimed at saving lives. We help provide the Ukrainian army with laptops, lights, photo equipment, cables, and maintenance, and funds for Ukrainian servicemen and women in need of medical assistance or rehabilitation.
- Provides Ukrainian army with unmanned aerial vehicles, defense mapping software and intelligence. Their site says: "Our funding never goes to weapons that are destined to kill people. We fund defensive strategies focusing on defense tools."
Volunteer
- Matches volunteers with the needs of the country.
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CONTRIBUTING Jessica Guynn, Brett Molina, Marc Saltzman
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research