Thinking of making a donation to Ukraine?

5 Guidelines for Donors

1) Send money to organizations, not strangers. Crowdfunding and social media fundraising campaigns have become so common that when you search GoFundMe, it points to 1,008 separate appeals for aid for individuals, families or causes related to Ukraine. Most were posted by individuals, and I have no doubt that some will turn out to be fake.

2) Vet groups you’re unfamiliar with before donating to them. Verifying first that the cause is legitimate will make it easier to avoid funding scams. A useful shortcut is to look for organizations that have been vetted by others. Try a simple keyword search “Ukraine charities,” and that was enough to turn up some promising lists posted by media outlets. A good place to start your sleuthing on U.S.-based registered charities is the Internal Revenue Service. It also ensures you’re giving to the right group, rather than another organization with a deceptively similar name. Many scammers abuse the name recognition of established nonprofits, hoping you won’t notice the difference.

3) Give to charities with a track record in Ukraine. Some examples include Razom for Ukraine, which leads a variety of cultural and democratization initiatives. Another is UNICEF, a United Nations agency that protects children worldwide and is in a good position not only to provide immediate relief but also to pressure Russia to allow unrestricted humanitarian access. Because these groups have already built local relationships, trust and infrastructure, they are likely to be more adept at operating in these dire circumstances than the charities popping up now or those that are still mobilizing from half a world away.

4) Dispatch cash, not goods. Don’t bundle up your spare clothing or other supplies and ship them to Eastern Europe, please. The fragile Ukrainian supply lines need to remain open for medicine and food. And while there is a time and place for restricting a gift to a specific purpose, a humanitarian crisis is not the right time. Trust the people that a charity has on the ground to know which needs are the highest priority.

5) Make gifts that reflect your values. Giving is a deeply psychological act. Effective – and satisfied – donors act on values important to them. If helping refugees is your priority, consider organizations such as Fundacja Ocalenie, which means “the Rescue Fund” in Polish. About half a million Ukrainians had fled to Poland by March 3, 2022. If a free press is what matters most to you, given the strength of the Russian disinformation machine, consider Zaborona or the Kyiv Independent, two Ukrainian media outlets.

Here are several more well-known charities to donate to:

Airbnb.org. Airbnb’s nonprofit is asking people - especially those residing in European nations near Ukraine - to sign up to provide temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees or donate to their stays. The San Francisco-based company is also pledging to shelter up to 100,000 fleeing Ukraine. To find out more info, go to https://www.airbnb.org/get-involved

CARE. The international humanitarian group is providing food, water and other items to families fleeing violence in Ukraine. Contribute at https://my.care.org/site/Donation

Doctors Without Borders. Staffers with the medical relief organization remain in Ukraine and are “seeking ways to respond to the medical and humanitarian needs as the conflict evolves.” Offer support at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/

International Committee of the Red Cross. The Swiss-based organization is supporting the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross in helping those impacted by the war. Donate at https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ukraine

International Medical Corps. The first responders’ organization has teams inside Ukraine and in the surrounding regions to offer medical and mental health services. Donate athttps://give.internationalmedicalcorps.org/page/99837/donate

Project Hope. The global health and humanitarian relief organization is on the ground in and around Ukraine delivering medicines and medical supplies. It has teams in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and Romania. Donate at https://secure.projecthope.org/site/

UNICEF. The global group devoted to safeguarding children is working to provide humanitarian supplies to families without safe water or electricity due to the conflict. Contributions can be made here. Donate at https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children

World Central Kitchen. Founded by world-renowned chef José Andrés after an earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010, the group provides meals to people in need around the globe. Andrés is now feeding Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border. Those wanting to help finance the group can do so here https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/donation/checkout