Eight days into the war in Ukraine, the suffering of the country’s citizens continues to mount. Ukraine needs our help in many different ways. The army lacks basic protective gear. Refugees waiting at the borders need food, water, warmth and hygiene supplies and those who have already made it to the Czech Republic are looking for places to stay, interpreters and assistance. Over 40 organizations have initiated fundraising drives on our online giving portal, Darujme.cz.

Here is an overview of the various types of fundraising drives on Darujme.cz. The description is not exhaustive and more fundraising drives are being added each day. We thank all donors for their unceasing support and generosity.

LARGE HUMANITARIAN AID
The biggest fundraising drives include SOS Ukraine (People in Need Foundation), which is using the money raised to provide humanitarian aid to victims of the war and refugees and to protect vulnerable families and individuals. Charita Česká republika also has a fundraising drive and is working with Charita Ukrajina to provide immediate support to people, both those remaining in the war zone and those forced to flee. The organization ADRA, which has a long history of providing support in Ukraine, is helping people evacuate in collaboration with ADRA Ukrajina. ADRA is currently focusing on meeting the basic needs of dislocated and evacuated residents. There are also fundraising drives by the Salvation Army, Care and Unicef on Darujme.cz.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES
The organization Post Bellum was among the first to initiate a fundraising drive. It has raised over CZK 100 million ($4 million) to buy protective gear such as bulletproof vest, helmets, gloves, radio equipment, night-vision drones and medical supplies. The organizations Nesehnutí and the Independent Journalism Endowment Fund are raising money to help journalists and at-risk leaders of civil society. The Open Society Fund is running a drive to help Roma children and families.

DIRECT AID FOR REFUGEES
More and more organizations are raising money for direct aid to refugees arriving in the Czech Republic. Small associations which have long-standing experience in assisting immigrants have suddenly found themselves with a staff shortage in the face of the unfolding crisis. They need professionals for long-term work: interpreters, coordinators, lawyers, counselors, etc. The following refugee drives are accessible on Darujme.cz: InBáze, z. s. runs extracurricular and educational activities for Ukrainian children so that they can live a semi-normal life for at least a few hours a week. The Association for Integration and Migration (Sdružení pro integraci a migraci) is raising money to coordinate efficient and effective aid. The Organization to Help Refugees (Organizace pro pomoc uprchlíkům, z.s.) has been providing free legal and social service advisory services for 30 years, helping people with education, employment and housing issues and coordinating volunteers. Other NGOs running fundraising drives include the Archdiocese Charity, Charita Litoměřice, Charita Červený Kostelec, Broumov Region Development Agency and BigMat CZ.

ANIMAL SHELTER FUNDRAISING DRIVES
The extreme crisis in Ukraine affects animals as well as people. Animals in Ukrainian shelters are barely surviving. “The biggest problem is the animal food shortage and in some places also water shortages. Animals are afraid of explosions,” says the organization Freedom for Animals (Svoboda zvířat), which has raised over CZK 5 million for Ukrainian animal shelters. A Dog’s Life (Psí život) is also running a drive for animal shelters in Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odessa.

FUNDRAISING DRIVES ARE STEADILY INCREASING
Various professional and interest organizations are also initiating fundraising drives. You can donate to help people with cystic fibrosis or through the Czech Federation of Food Banks.

We thank everyone who is extending a helping hand to Ukrainians fighting for their country and those who have had to leave their homes. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugess, over 1 million people are in exodus. It is clear that the need for help will be long-term and that it will evolve as the situation develops. Thank you for continuing generosity and solidarity.