Rarely has an event in recent Europe triggered such a wave of solidarity as Vladimir Putin’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine. Countless organisations and initiatives are doing their best to support the people on the ground and those who have fled. Here we give you an overview of what is currently useful to support the people in Ukraine.
Many organisations are currently mainly dependent on monetary donations, as they can use them most flexibly in the current, constantly changing situation. When it comes to donations in kind, needs are constantly changing, so check with the respective organisations to see what is needed. In addition, there are many ways to become active by volunteering and standing up for the people from Ukraine at demonstrations and by petitioning. We have listed the most important possibilities for you below.
Aid organisations in Germany are now handling the care, accommodation and provision of people from Ukraine in an increasingly structured way. In doing so, they now need support in translating, handing out food, clothing and daily necessities, as well as assistance in everyday life.
UPDATE: Due to the high demand from the additional people from Ukraine, the food banks (e.g. in Berlin) urgently need additional food donations!
Table of Content
1 | VOSTEL.DE – Find a dedicated volunteering opportunity
In exchange with our partner organisations, we are continuously collecting opportunities for you to support people from Ukraine through volunteering or donations in kind on our dedicated Ukraine Support page. New projects are added on an ongoing basis.
2 I DONATE MONEY – Where you can donate effectively
Aid organisations on site in Ukraine, at the border or here in Germany are currently mainly dependent on monetary donations to be able to provide for people. In addition to supporting large, well-known aid organisations, you also have the opportunity to donate money for a specific purpose to local and smaller aid organisations. Here is an overview:
Support aid organisations via betterplace.org
betterplace.org brings together various donation options for large, well-known and smaller aid organisations that are now involved in the Ukraine crisis – from Aktion Deutschland Hilft to Signals Of Solidarity, you can donate to one or more organisations here. In addition, betterplace has launched the large fundraising campaign “Emergency Aid for Ukraine“, which you can also support.
Donate for a particular purpose
For medical supply
- Support Pharmacists Without Borders in providing medical supplies and medication in Ukraine and neighbouring countries
- Donate for large medical and material supply deliveries to hospitals in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and other cities
- Donate for life-saving medical first aid kits in the war zone
For independent journalism
- Support courageous journalists on site in Ukraine to enable independent journalism, especially in times of war.
For marginalized groups
- Donate for the supply and evacuation of the Queer Emergency Aid in Ukraine
- Support Afro-Caribbean students (who were discriminated against when fleeing) to leave Ukraine
- Support Ukrainians with disabilities to get through the conflict safely
- Support women in Ukrain with a donation to the UNWOMEN
For safe transportation
- Donate for the transport of Ukrainian refugees from the Slovak-Ukrainian border
For psychological support
- Support the crisis chat for psychological support for Ukrainian refugees in Germany
For network organisations in Ukraine
- Support the Razom initiative, which emerged from the Maidan protests and advocates for a liberal and cosmopolitan Ukraine
- Support the Ukraine Solidarity Fund of the European Citizen Network MitOst
3 I DONATIONS IN KIND – What is currently needed
The need for in-kind donations is constantly changing due to the ever-changing dynamics. Many organisations currently have enough clothing, but need blankets, hygiene products and durable food, for example. Therefore, you can find out which donations are currently needed on the pages of the aid organisations.
Here you can currently donate things
- BERLIN | Berlin Welcome Team | Ukraine-Hilfe Berlin e.V.
- BREITSCHEID (HESSEN) | Ukrainehilfe Breitscheid
- COLOGNE | Blau-Gelbes Kreuz | Kölner Stadtandzeiger
- DÜSSELDORF | Hispi
- FRANKFURT | Frankfurt Hilft
- GIEßEN | Global Aid Network
- HAMBURG | Hanseatic Help
- LEIPZIG | various donation points
- MUNICH | Heimatstern
- NUREMBERG | various donation points
- REGENSBURG | Space-Eye e.V.
- STUTTGART | Ukrainer-in-Stuttgart e.V.
- WIESBADEN | Ukrainehilfe Wiesbaden Westend
4 I VOLUNTEER – Offer your skills, places to sleep or transport
In addition to monetary donations, initial support for people from Ukraine will be crucial in the upcoming days and weeks. Many are arriving at train stations now and need initial support here – through translations, orientation assistance and overnight accommodation. You can sign up for support lists at the organisations below. On our vostel.de Ukraine Support page, we will also continuously collect further volunteering opportunities in coordination with our partner organisations.
Get personally involved for Ukrainians in Germany
- Volunteer as a translator for TanslAid
- Assist arriving refugee Ukrainians as Arrival Support at various train stations with translation and first guidance.
- Get informed about current needs in the Helping Hands Berlin Telegram group
- Offer your skills on the support list of #LeaveNoOneBehind – from offering first orientation to going to the authorities or sleeping places, various support is needed
- Volunteer or provide a place to sleep on the list of the global support movement Ukraine Now
- Sign up as a volunteer with your skills on the Nova Ukraine support list
- Volunteer to give psychological support in the crisis chat
Offer sleeping places or accommodation
- for people from Ukraine via Unterkunft-Ukraine
- via Host4Ukraine
- especiall from women for women (with kids)
- especially for BiPoC and queer people
- for people with animals
5 I GIVE PERSPECTIVES – Jobs for people from Ukraine
Due to their fleeing, many people from Ukraine are currently without a job and without an income. You can support them by offering a job in your company on special Ukraine support job sites.
6 I DEMONSTRATIONS – Show your face for Ukraine
You can also show your support and solidarity with Ukraine by taking part in demonstrations against Russia’s attacks, as many people around the world have done. In this way, you can call on politicians to take concrete action. Find demonstrations near you here:
STANDWITHUKRAINE | worldwide overview of demonstrations
Find worldwide protests or register your own planned demonstrations against the war in Ukraine on the #StandWithUkraine page.
STOPPUTIN | worldwide protest actions & guidance for own demos
On the website you will find another overview of protest actions planned around the world, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to organise and carry out your own assemblies.
7 I PETITIONS – Create pressure together with people worldwide
Another form of support and an effective and quick way to make your voice heard is to sign petitions. The more signatories a petition has, the more attention it and its concerns receive. With the following petitions you can send an effective signal for the end of this war and the use of humanitarian aid.
AVAAZ | Stop this War
The open letter, which has already been signed by over 2 million people worldwide, is addressed to governments worldwide. It calls on them to take a united stand against Russia’s attack on Ukraine and to stand up for an immediate end to the war.
CHANGE.ORG | Immediate reception of fleeing BIPoC* persons from Ukraine
Accusations are growing louder and louder that BIPoC* persons without Ukrainian passports are being prevented from leaving the country at the Ukrainian-Polish border. The petition calls on the German government to uncompromisingly grant asylum to these, as well as all other fleeing persons.
ALLOUT | Protection for LGBTIQ* People from Ukraine
LGBTIQ* and LGBTIQ* human rights activists are a particularly vulnerable group in times of crisis such as these. The petition calls on the federal government to grant protection to these vulnerable people and to bring them to safety as soon as possible.
>> PROSPECT LIST – Sign up, stay informed
In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more information with you about humanitarian aid for people in and from Ukraine, as well as engagement opportunities, via our interested parties list.
Your vostel.de team wishes you every success in supporting the people in Ukraine!
Stand with Ukraine!
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