Help Ukraine!
The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything” – Albert Einstein
I walked into my living room, not expecting that the T.V. was on. I looked at the images, and they terrified me. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if it was a movie or a video game someone left on. Then I saw a headline, “Latest news from the war in Ukraine.” The images brought me to the front line of horror and humanity, taking place only a hundred miles away from where I was born.
I don’t want to think about the unthinkable, and neither do you. But the images and the painful emotions won’t go away until we ALL do something about it. It is up to every one of us to help those who suffer and make sure the war ends so that we can raise our children in peace.
Pray, meditate, set your intention – choose what resonates with your values and beliefs. These practices create vibrations that travel across the globe and unite us with the higher power. At the minimum, they will make you feel calmer and empower you to take other steps).
Contact elected officials - encourage them to take actions in support of Ukraine and against the war.
Reach out to leaders (community, spiritual, religious, work, school) - remind them of their responsibility to lead with courage, honesty, transparency, and compassion.
Take care of yourself – stress can deplete us physically and emotionally, leaving little room to think of others.
Be kind to yourself and others – kindness helps to alleviate negative emotions and remind us that we are all in this together.
Keep a perspective – nobody wants to pay a high price at the gas station, and we don’t like when we can’t find what we usually get in the grocery store. But the truth is that some have worse, much worse.
Donate – money, medical supplies, items that can be shipped overseas (see the list below).
The organizations listed below have their camps and people in Ukraine and surrounding countries where the refugees seek shelter. Consider making a contribution to an organization that resonates with you. Your donation will make a difference in someone’s life and uplift your spirits.
Support Ukraine Now – looks for volunteers worldwide; accepts donations and humanitarian supplies; connects with refugees to host them and join the international legion.
Go to fund – supports Kyiv’s independence and freedom of the press.
Project C.U.R.E. – Colorado-based largest distributor of donated medical equipment and supplies.
Caritas – the largest catholic charity in Poland helping people who need it the most, including people with disabilities and the elderly.
Polish Humanitarian Action – provides humanitarian aid, including food and emergency needs.
Polish National Foundation – creates medical facilities for terminally ill Ukrainian children transported to Poland since the Russian invasion.
Samaritan’s Purse – deploys emergency field hospitals to Ukraine.
TripAdvisor Foundation and World Central Kitchen – serve hot meals at the pedestrian border crossing in southern Poland, Romania, Moldova, and Hungary.
UNICEF – delivers aid to hundreds of thousands of children in Ukraine affected by violence.
Voices of Children Foundation – provides assistance to families and children with evacuation and emergency psychological needs.
Red Cross – partners with Caritas in Poland, providing shelter, meals, transport, and counseling to refugees in Poland and other bordering countries.
Care – Ukraine crisis fund – provides immediate aid primarily to Ukrainian women, girls, families, and the elderly.
International Medical Corps – provides medical and mental services to civilians in Ukraine and refugees outside the country.
Mercy Chefs – provides food and water at the border and inside Ukraine.
International Rescue Committee – supports displaced Ukrainian children and families with food, medical care, and emergency needs in Poland.