'Aid' lorries going to Ukraine...

[Blurp]

My Facebook timeline is suddenly full of requests from people who are filling lorries full of things to take to Ukraine - they're asking for donations of things like clothes, toiletries and food.

None of them seem to mention the name of a charity or any specifics - mostly it comes across as though some random bloke is just going to fill his lorry with stuff and drive it "to Ukraine".

At first I thought it was a great idea, but the more I read the more I'm questioning it. Not that I think the people doing it are dodgy or anything like that, more that I'm not sure how useful it would be.

Like, do they really need lorries turning up all over the place with random stuff inside? I've no doubt that much of the stuff would be useful, but how do they even start to sort through it and match it to people who need it? Where do they even go to drop it off - do they just pick a random road on the border and park there and give it out? I've seen a few people asking questions like this on the posts, but they tend to get ignored or shouted down.

As far as I'm aware, there are no issues with supply of goods to countries bordering Ukraine, so isn't it better to donate money to organisations already on the ground so that they can bulk buy what they need?

Again, I'm not knocking the people who organise these lorries or the people who donate to them; I'm just wondering how useful it really is.

it irritates the sector quite a bit when it's implied

An irritated salaried charity worker? My heart is breaking.

donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

Donations matched by the Government

Agreed, it's better to send the money.

I briefly considered buying stuff as recommended by a Facebook friend to send and then I thought- why? They can buy it there, and if I give through my workplace, they will match it.

I volunteered at Oxfam following the Tsunami. I think donators really thought that they were helping victims by donating black bags full of old pants, socks with holes and worn out, stained and unwashed clothes and knackered flip flops.

What charities need to assist is sellable items that raise actual cash, or indeed actual cash. They know what to do to create maximum benefit.

And now the inevitable petition cos, y'know, we couldn't have possibly anticipated that there may be customs issues
www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-stop-bureaucracy-to-allow-charity-donations-of-humanitarian-aid-to-ukraine-and-poland-now

[quote APineForestInWinter]And now the inevitable petition cos, y'know, we couldn't have possibly anticipated that there may be customs issues
www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-stop-bureaucracy-to-allow-charity-donations-of-humanitarian-aid-to-ukraine-and-poland-now[/quote]
Meanwhile mainland Europe breaths a sigh of relief that they won't have to have this shite clogging up their roads, figuring out what to do with it, and causing logistical issues. People are still trying to flee across this borders, more traffic isn't helpful one iota. I agree with others that many have done this to make themselves feel better with zero thought on if its the best way to help people.

The only person we know who has asked for items to take is joining his family in Ukraine and taking these with him. He has signed up to fight.

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

Something else that I heard is that some international businesses with staff in Ukraine are continuing to pay a salary, even though the staff member is absent for other reasons.

M&S have asked for £1 at the till

I asked what the money would be doing and he said UNICEF

I'm guessing this is reasonable

I’m ‘on the ground’ and yes, at the moment sending money is the best way to help.
The first few days we needed everything but storage is indeed a problem. There has been an amazing response to every request we made. And not just from individual people, many companies, supermarkets, etc offered

@Sirzy @meditrina

Thanks for explaining DEC, it also popped up when I went to do some online banking. I have made a donation to them.
And continue to pray for the people of Ukraine.

@WrongSideOfEverything stay safe and bloody well done you!

Not great & copying & cutting comments. However, very curious about above post @wrongsideofeceverything as to what ‘I’m on the ground’ means?

It means she is in Ukraine or Poland helping with the war effort I would think

Lots of ideas here on how to help

www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/05/ukraine-crisis-how-you-can-help-donating-cash-supplies?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

.

@fruityloopy I've been volunteering on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border. Our government closed all the refugee camps in Debrecen, Bicske, etc (I'm sure some of you remember our disgraceful anti-refugee policy), these are now in a completely degraded state, with no staff, no experts so very much useless. The government isn't doing much else either, they opened the border and that was about it. It's all down to charities and civil organisations and just your average people. Many of them did the same in 2005 and they were great at getting things running quickly and after the first few days it seems the charities, organisations and the local towns are working pretty well together.

In the beginning I mostly did transport, a lot of people fled on foot or had to leave their car behind on the way. There are families where the dad drives them to the border but he isn't allowed to cross. We have child carseats in our car and also some women (esp. ones who don't speak any foreign language) seem to feel safer with a woman driver.

Some people just need a ride to family or friends (there are about 150000 Hungarians living in Ukraine in the Trans Carpathian, many of them have family or friends where they could go), some people want to go to Budapest (about 300km from the border) and travel on to other countries (they usually need a place to stay for a night or two until they sort out their travels/until their other family members arrive) and there are a lot of people who have nowhere to go.

In the evening/between rides we do everything else, there are still donations coming, we need to sort them and often send them to other places. Eg. there are only tents and one kiosk that was here before, so cooking facilities are somewhat limited, but there are b&b's in the towns nearby who offered to cook so anyone arriving can go there for a hot meal and a warm shower.
We also make parcels, mostly food/snacks for the road, but there are tables and tables of things and anyone arriving is encouraged to take what they need and as much as they need.
Many people, mainly the younger ones speak English and most of us now know basic words in Ukrainian but sometimes translation is also needed. I'm old enough to have learnt Russian as a child which comes very useful.
There is a lot of admin work too, eg. coordinating between the organisations and keeping in touch with the incredible amount of people offering help on social media for example.
And (although it's much less visible, but all the more important) many of the people, many of of the families will stay for months or years, and they will need support long term.
Sorry if it's all trivial (or sounds a bit incoherent) and if you have any questions I can try to answer although I'm really only a tiny clog in the wheel.

Amazing work @WrongSideOfEverything
💐 thank you.

[quote APineForestInWinter]And now the inevitable petition cos, y'know, we couldn't have possibly anticipated that there may be customs issues
www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-stop-bureaucracy-to-allow-charity-donations-of-humanitarian-aid-to-ukraine-and-poland-now[/quote]
Have they started to blame the French yet?

@ WrongSideOfEverything
Wow! Thank you

*M&S have asked for £1 at the till

I asked what the money would be doing and he said UNICEF

I'm guessing this is reasonable*

It is chugging (charity mugging) doing it like that though - the way it was asked ''Would you like to give a pound to the Ukrainian children?'' meant the OAP in front of me had no choice. I also gave a pound but only go there once in a blue moon (I have nothing against charity donations to be clear, have got my red noses already and a big issue this week but prefer to do it on my own terms rather than white savioured/guilted into it).
corporate.marksandspencer.com/media/press-releases/6220d70a7880b2454cf64ab6/m-and-s-statement-on-ukraine

Wrongside... Szia!
Are you still asking for donations? I keep reading on FB that money is what's needed and volunteers.

@Undecicive

Wrongside... Szia! Are you still asking for donations? I keep reading on FB that money is what's needed and volunteers.

Someone on my local FB page has just posted saying they've sent off 9 van loads and will start collecting stuff again on Wednesday for more trips. A few people have posted that its better to donate. She says as they're doing it "privately" they're collecting items rather than money as that's what charities are for

There'll be a load of junk in there that the destination countries will have to dispose of. A whole load of random crap. I stopped caring if it makes people feel better that they 'helped'. I give stuff away locally, that helps, donate money abroad, also does.