Helping the Ukranians

Since the initial invasion of Ukraine in February, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country. This humanitarian crisis is likely to grow even worse. Many people who would like to offer aid but they are not quite sure how they can help. We offer several resources to support the people of Ukraine during this time, as well as a word of caution for avoiding scams.

 Ways to help

• Find reputable organizations. Start with the list provided by fidelitycharitable.org (link below)
• Select the specific cause that you want to support. Each organization provides aid in different ways. Read the descriptions of an organization to be sure it is in line with your intentions.
• If you have a donor advised fund, you can easily donate through the Fidelity portal for your account.
• Smaller donations on apps. Some apps have made it possible to easily contribute small amounts (i.e. Uber, Lyft, Coinbase, etc.)

 Avoid scams

• Make sure it is a reputable organization 
• Most of you will not recognize  the organizations, but reputable firms have done the vetting(see the Fidelity list below).
• Be wary of organizations that reach out to you first. Scammers will buy your email or phone number from other scammers.
• Do not give your payment information over an inbound call.  To make sure someone on a call or email is real:
  • decline to pay over the phone
  • do your research on the organization, and
  • pay on a trusted platform.

 Fidelity Charitable “How to Help: Ukraine”:  https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/guidance/disaster-relief/how-to-help-ukraine.html?immid=EML_796_1

 Sample Organizations:

• CARE
• HIAS
• Malteser International Americas
• Mercy Corps
• Save the Children
• UNICEF USA
• USA for UNHCR

 Sandy Cove Advisors has made a donation to the World Central Kitchen (WCK.org) to aid in their valiant efforts to feed Ukrainians uprooted from their homes and fleeing to safer locations.