FAQ
Is it safe to go to Ukraine?
It is NOT advised to go to Ukraine without a very specific reason at the moment, especially if you do not have the means to get in/out on your own. If you go and get injured, then someone will have to risk their life to save you. More than likely, you would just be draining resources when resources are already scarce. There are safer and better ways to help! You can go to any of the neighboring countries or join us.
Isn't the IFRC and UN doing things already? What about the Polish government?
Actually, everything I've seen so far (as of April 6th, in Poland) has been only grassroots level help. Due to the sudden nature of this conflict, it's much easier to mobilize individuals and small groups of people to help. The Polish people have been extremely welcoming and helpful, without needing assistance from the government. As many of the volunteers will also attest, there is very little visible presence of IFRC. Also, I believe that UN finally showed up at the border around first week of April (many weeks after the conflict began, and after most refugees have already been helped by the Polish citizens). That said, all help is good, and we still need volunteers and donations!
What do the refugees need the most?
Ultimately, any help/items are welcomed. But from what I've gathered, the ones lucky enough to make it across the border mostly need a safe place to stay, and battery packs/SIM cards. In the longer term, people need assistance with employment.
I don't speak a word of Ukrainian, nor Russian, what can I do to help?
Fear not! Neither do I, but I am still able to help. You can see the various ways to dedicate your time, even from USA. Alternatively, the easiest way to help is to make a donation directly.
If you want to learn Ukrainian, I recommend learning the Cyrillic alphabet and watching youtube videos on basic phrases. This is the most practical way to ramp up, and can usually help you get by in a surprising number of situations (combined with a lot of hand gestures and context). If you want to learn Ukrainian, I've heard that the app Mondly is decent. For learning Russian, i've been using an app called Drop. Initially, it's more important to learn the vocabulary as opposed to grammar, just as someone you can still understand someone who doesn't speak English with perfect grammar.
How can my company hire Ukrainians for jobs in USA?
I know of several high-skilled Ukrainians (in tech) who might be a great fit. Let's get in contact :)
I have space in my home in USA and I want to host Ukrainians families, what do I do?
Unfortunately, our administration is very slow moving on this. Stay tuned for updates, as things are constantly changing!
I have family and friends in Ukraine! Can you help me deliver something?
Gladly! Please reach out to me directly!