How Can We Help the People of Ukraine?

We are watching events in Ukraine unfold with a mixture of horror and disbelief. Ukrainians need support, both those that have had to leave their homes and those that have stayed behind. And although we all want to do something to help the people of Ukraine, we might not know what the best way to help is or how to go about it.

We thought it would be useful to put together some information for you, including how you can donate money through The Hungry Mind…

1. DONATE MONEY

One of the most efficient ways to help is to donate money. The money goes to organisations that are helping with clean water, food and medical supplies for the people in Ukraine.

You can now donate money when you buy your coffee and snacks at The Hungry Mind. Simply ask to add the amount you would like to donate to your order. You can donate as much or as little as you want €2, €5, €10, €50 – it’s up to you. ALL the money you donate will go to Giro555.

Giro555 is a collaboration between 11 of the largest aid agencies in the Netherlands, including Cordaid, Red Cross, Save the Children and Oxfam. In times of crises they come together so that they help even more people. If you would prefer to donate to them directly, you can visit giro555.nl or transfer money from your bank account to:

IBAN: NL08 INGB 0000 0005 55
in the name of Stichting Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties, Den Haag

2. DONATE ESSENTIALS

We are collecting donations of everyday essentials that will then go to various organisations in the Hague for redistribution. The things that we need to collect are:

– Food (no liquids, no glass and only new and unopened long life foods like tinned goods, noodles, nuts, dried fruits, individually wrapped chocolate bars, crackers, cookies)
– Medication (unopened paracetamol, children’s paracetamol, Ibuprofen, antihistamine tablets and eye drops, antiseptic cream, insect bite/sting cream)
– First Aid Kit Essentials (plasters, bandages, burn creams, gloves)
– Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shower gel, wet wipes, shampoo, conditioner, hand sanitizer, hand soap, toilet roll, deodorant, razors, towels)
– Feminine Hygiene Products (sanitary towels, tampons)
– Baby Products (nappies, nappy cream, baby food (no glass jars), powdered formula, bottles)

You can get more information at ‘Ukrainians in the Netherlands’.

Please bring anything you can donate to The Hungry Mind. Please make sure that everything you donate is brand new and unopened. At the moment there is no need to donate clothes, so please don’t bring any.

3. OPEN YOUR HOME TO UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

No one knows how long war in Ukraine will go on for. Already an estimated 3.7 million people have left their homes in Ukraine, 1.5 million of which are children.

If you have room at home you might want to offer refugees a place to stay for up to 3 months whilst they are being found more permanent accommodation. If you are interested in becoming a host family, you can register at Takecarebnb.org.

Once you have registered, they will contact you to assess your family situation and discuss your preferences and expectations. They will then match you with a Ukrainian person or family and arrange a trial weekend stay. If it all goes well and everyone is happy, your hosting begins. Takecarebnb remain involved at every step of the way, for both you and your guest. 

For more information you can visit refugeehelp.com 

4. OFFER YOUR SERVICES AS A TRANSLATOR

Do you speak Ukrainian and/or Russian? If you can, you could offer to help as a translator for Ukrainians who are coming to The Netherlands. 

You can sign up at Vertaalhulp Oekraine. Just click the blue ‘I want to help!’ button, fill in your details and they will contact you.

Through your generosity we can really help Ukraine, and there are lots of ways to get involved. If you know of any other ways that we can support Ukraine, let us know and we can share with the community.