There have been many roundups of charities and humanitarian aid organizations complied by more knowledgeable individuals than us. Here are a couple of the best lists:
These are organizations that have been highly rated by Charity Navigator, meaning they are financially efficient and transparent. If you’re worried about your money being put to good use, consider these.
This organization started in … . Their resource list contains many options: ways to contact your government representatives, charities and aid groups in different categories, and video resources for general education on the topic.
This list has organizations related to the military and marginalized groups (LGBTQ and Roma)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QJ1m6N9dXa3z0sGHKDYNd1salhxaI72pDbVeY4gBShE/htmlview#
List of organization with description of what they do and notes about their transparency, legitimacy, etc.
A round up of round ups 🙂
Animals
Here are a couple of lists that contain animal-related charities:
https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/how-you-can-support-animal-protection-organisations-ukraine
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/02/28/ukrainians-not-leaving-beloved-pets-behind-how-you-can-help/
https://secure.ifaw.org/european-union/emergency-ukraine
Help for two local shelters to buy food and supplies for hundreds of their dogs whom they cannot evacuate.
A charity that helps a number of animal shelters throughout the territory of Ukraine. Here is a post describing how to help them.
Independent Journalism
Russia has been short on independent news sources for a while and has recently blocked access to the few remaining sources. Here are a few options to support independent journalism in the region:
Meduza (Russian and English language)
The Kyiv Independent (English language)
Novaya Gazeta (Russian language)
Zaborona (English and Ukrainian language)
Other Ways to Help Ukrainians
Some people are choosing to support Ukrainian artists directly on Etsy by purchasing digital goods from them. You can use Etsy’s filters to search for sellers in Ukraine who offer digital downloads. This way they will receive money but won’t have to physically create or ship anything.
Many churches (especially Ukrainian ones) are organizing the collection of supplies and care packages. Supplies are desperately needed by soldiers, residents, and refugees who have fled. Check google or ask in your local neighborhood Facebook or Nextdoor group for resources.
Non-Monetary Ways to Help
Be careful with the information you share online. Between the fog of war and the fact that this is an informational war as much as a physical one, there is a lot of content that is inaccurate at best and hostile propaganda at worst. Amplify voices on the ground that come from reputable sources, but don’t feel obligated to share every scrap of content you come across, nor your geopolitical hot takes, unless they’re based on extensive, verifiable information. Here is a good guide for how to spot fake or misleading content.
If you’re the type, search for protests in your area. They will not lead to an immediate impact but serve to show your support and share your feelings with like-minded folks. Here is a (seemingly incomplete?) list of protests.
Some people are boycotting Russian products. With the exception of Russian oil/gas companies, we do not find this to be sensible or effective. If you choose to do this, check the label of the product for its country of origin. For example, most Russian food products sold in New York are made in Brooklyn. Be careful not to harm unrelated businesses or individuals with your choices.
Seek out Ukrainian writers, poets, artists, films. Russian, too. Learn about the culture and the history of these countries. Ukraine is more than a Soviet appendage and Russia is more than Putin and aggression.