St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church: St. Andrews is a Ukrainian Catholic Church in Campbell Hall, N.Y. currently taking donations to support the people of Ukraine. They are also holding a Ukrainian food sale on March 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 141 Sarah Wells Trail, Campbell Hall, N.Y.
Hope for Ukraine: Hope for Ukraine is a local nonprofit Organization in Roseland, N.J. that has a team in Lviv providing shelter, supplies and food to Ukrainian refugees. As of Feb. 28, they are housing 80 refugees. https://hopeforukraine.net/how-to-help/donate.html
Come Back Alive: If you would like to support the Ukrainian military directly, donate to Come Back Alive. According to the Kyiv Independent, an English-based Ukrainian newspaper, Come Back Alive has a reputation as one of the most trustworthy charities working for the military in Ukraine. https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/
Save the Children: Save the Children is a global organization focused on providing children with supplies and resources. They have a Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund which provides children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance. Donate to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund here: https://www.savethechildren.org/
Ukraine Humanitarian Fund: The Ukraine Humanitarian Fund is one of the UN’s country-based pooled funds. Contributions are collected into a single fund and managed locally under UN leadership. As crises evolve, funds are made directly and immediately available to a wide range of partner organizations at the front lines of response.
GoFundMe: GoFundMe has created a centralized hub to help people wanting to donate to the crisis in Ukraine. It includes non profit organizations providing supplies and evacuations, to individual Ukrainian families seeking support. https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/donate-to-ukraine-relief
Another way to help is to call your local Ukrainian church and ask if they are accepting donations to support the people of Ukraine. Here is a list of local churches and their numbers:
St Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Campbell Hall, N.Y. (845) 496-4156
St Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Passaic, N.J. (973) 471-9727
St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church in Glen Spey, N.Y. (845) 496-4156
Saints Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Glen Spey, N.Y. (845) 856-7441
Beware of scams
While there are many ways to donate to the Ukraine, it’s important to do so safely – and be aware that scammers may be trying to take your donations. Here are some tips and tools to ensure your donations are used for their intended purpose:
• If you receive a solicitation by email, find out who is behind that email address. Contact the charity whose name is in the email or visit its website to find out if the email is really from the charity. Do not give personal information or your credit card number in response to an email solicitation unless you have checked out the charity.
• Before giving through these social media or fundraising sites, research the identity of the organizer of the fundraising efforts and ask the same questions you would of a charity. Donors should only give to campaigns conducted by people whom they know. Donors also should take a close look at the site’s FAQs and Terms and Conditions to see what fees will be charged. Also, don’t assume that charities recommended on social media sites, blogs, or other websites have already been vetted. Research the charity yourself to confirm that the charity is aware of the campaign and has given its approved permission for the use of its name or logo.
• Check Before Giving. Donate to charities you are familiar with and carefully review information about the charity before you give. Most charities are required to register and file financial reports with OAG’s Charities Bureau if they solicit contributions from New Yorkers. Check OAG’s website for financial reports of charities or ask the charity directly for its reports.
• Find out how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and individuals your donation will support. Find out more than just the cause. Find out what organization or entity will receive the money and what programs it conducts or what services it provides.
• Exercise caution before you text a contribution. Check the charity’s website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message.
• Don’t Give Cash. Give directly to the charity either by check made payable to the organization or through the charity’s website.
• Determine whether the charity is a Sec. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization by using the IRS’s exempt organization search: irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search
• New Jersey charities can also be searched for at: njconsumeraffairs.state.nj.us/public-charity-search-results/
• New York charities can also be searched at: charitiesnys.com
• Guidestar.org provides access to recent IRS Form 990, which can be used to gauge how much a not-for-profit spends on its programs
• Charitynavigator.org rates charities based on a number of criteria.
