A post on FB saying collections for Ukraine are not actually helpful

[SmellyOldOwls]

I've been mulling over this one. Someone posted on Facebook the other day saying that loads of people are starting up collections for Ukraine and it's doing more harm than good. That people send a load of old crap and there's so many trucks that it causes chaos at the border and there aren't enough aid workers to sort it all out so loads of stuff that gets sent goes to waste. He said it's best just to send money instead.

I had a bag of stuff that I thought might be useful - lots of pairs of gloves new with tags, baby clothes new with tags. Unopened sealed baby formula. I'm not sure whether to drop it all off at a collection point now or not? Will i just forget it and donate money instead? But then you see on the news that it is helping people sending all this stuff so I don't know what to do.

i have also read that.

I agree with you OP. Money is the best way to help

Definitely give money if you are able. It's a nightmare to cross the channel with used goods these days, I can imagine that money spent in Poland would be more helpful, plus stuff won't need to be sorted, shipped and stored.

Yes agree that money is the best way to help.

Donate your stuff to a local refuge or hospital or charity shop.

Give £ to those charities actually on the ground in Ukraine who have the knowledge to know what is needed locally and the expertise to distribute it.

Formula is readily available in countries that border Ukraine - they really don't need any from the UK that ends up sitting at a customs queue (imagine the paperwork!) in Dover then in a warehouse in Poland for months on end.

www.gov.pl/web/unitedkingdom/humanitarian-aid-to-ukraine

"We call on everyone wishing to help not to organise further collections of in-kind donations, as their transport to Poland – followed by a lengthy unloading, storage, selection and distribution procedure – generates disproportionate amounts of additional work and cost, which proves ineffective and counterproductive to the needs of those affected.

We encourage everyone wishing to help to organise fundraisers and direct donations of funds to verified organisations that will use the funds received for assistance provided in accordance with the strict needs and effective operation in the long term."

The government will match donations to DEC

www.dec.org.uk
www.warchild.org.uk/home

Take to a charity shop, many humanitarian agencies have them so you'll still be helping those in need.

Money is more helpful. The relief workers already there know what is needed and how to best source it. They just need the money. There won't be enough resources to sort through truck loads of clothes right now & much of it will end up in landfill.

That's unanimous then! I have a few extra £ coming my way thanks to the student loan refund thread so I will send some to the aid fund linked to above.

Yes, I had gathered a bag full of outgrown children's winter clothing and I was going to drop it off. However, the place taking donations said they were full and I saw so much footage of rooms full of donations, bags and bags, on the news.

It doesn't really make sense, even if it makes us feel like we are doing something useful. Even sending toiletries and food, it's not like the shops are empty in Poland. People are much better having money then they can buy the things they actually need.

Yes. People have long been making this point eg here in relation to Haiti 2010 but I think there is a feel-good effect to sending actual stuff which makes people reluctant to stop. And also, maybe not you OP, but it's easier to give your unwanted stuff than to give actual money you might prefer to spend on yourself.

We decided to give to DEC for this reason. I have also heard it's not so easy to get things across borders now due to Brexit.

Donate stuff to places that help people who make it as far as the UK. Not sure what the situation is in the UK, in my country there are separate collections for people at the border that state they only need sleeping bags, sleeping mats and medical stuff. Different variety of stuff is needed for refugees who arrived here. Charities and such organisations and the embassy always say exactly what is needed.

Money. Always.

How much baby formula does £20 buy you in the UK? How much does £20 buy you in Ukraine or Poland? It makes no sense to send goods bought at high cost to a place where the same goods could be bought at low cost. Not to mention all the extra logistical hassle of random trucks/vans turning up in a crisis.

Lumos (JK Rowling's charity that usually works to get children out of orphanages and back to their families) have begun a specific Ukraine appeal that will target aid to children. All donations go directly to the cause, nothing goes on admin costs. Google Lumos Ukraine.

Oh I didn't realise this . I dropped some stuff off to a collection point a couple of days ago, they were asking for sleeping bags and blankets which I had some spares of and medical supplies which I bought in the supermarket to put in with them, bandages and dressings. I hope they do somebody some good but I'll look into doing a donation through Lumos too just in case they don't manage to get where they're needed.

As well as being able to buy locally large aid charities can buy in bulk and store or have supply chain for tents etc (depending on the nature of the emergency).

Something a local charity encountered was that when they had tables with clothes it would be young fit people able to come and get stuff. Now they distribute as needed. This may be less of an issue for this crisis.

you could find your local Red Cross Charity and donate to them

We donated to the Red Cross for this exact reason.

Depends on the donation site I think! I’ve donated goods to a polish charity specifically asking for goods - they have a base in a city that will ultimately take a lot of refugees, so they’re getting packs set up there for people. It will be a few weeks, even a couple of months before they’re in use, so to speak, but the group have been very up front about that

I was once told that a lot of charities don’t accept formula milk, especially when dealing with new mothers and established breast feeders, this is because there is not always the opportunities to boil water and sterilise baby bottles. New mothers are better encouraged to breastfeed so as to avoid harmful bacteria being passed on to babies. I don’t know how much this applies to Ukraine.

It was said upthread but just to say again that the government are match funding donations to DEC so that would be an effective way to give.

@SmellyOldOwls

That's unanimous then! I have a few extra £ coming my way thanks to the student loan refund thread so I will send some to the aid fund linked to above.

Where's the student loan refund thread?! (Totally missed point of thread..,)

An organisation I'm involved with have got some lorries going tomorrow but we've been overwhelmed and now have to direct people wanting to help to donate money, if they can afford it. We are recommending the DEC.

It's a hard one.

The polish community have been incredible here. They have been extremely specific and detailed.

Eg, I am driving a truck to X point, my home village, we have taken X number of people, we need X, y and z. We are dropping, in addition, medical supplies only for the border point.

These people have opened up their homes and hearts and I'm happy to support that.

But yes, I understand the wider points about random stuff and where it goes etc

My local FB group are sending a truck.
Like many people, I'm finding it difficult to donate as there are no assurances that the load will actually get to where it is actually needed.
I also hate to be a cynic but what assurances do we have that these missions are genuine?

Having had charity bags stolen from the kerbside I'm hesitant.

I'd rather give to an organisation that has the infrastructure and the integrity to deliver, based on established track record.

British Red Cross, international Red Cross and DEC ( Disasters Emergency Committee) are a positive way to ensure that your donation gets there.