Most western powers, including the United States, have imposed heavy economic sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, hoping that crippling its economy will slow down or end the war. But as the war presses on, Ukrainian citizens face devastating consequences.

Many of us are watching from afar and wondering how we can help Ukrainian people whose homes, cities and lives are being destroyed before our eyes.

In crises like this, acts of compassion and generosity can make a huge difference. There are dozens of organizations working directly in Ukraine or in bordering nations to provide aid to Ukrainian refugees.

If you’re looking to support people affected by the war in Ukraine, consider volunteering or donating money directly to the following organizations.

How to Donate to Organizations in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Red Cross

The Red Cross is often on the front lines of war, serving to help those affected by armed conflict. The Ukrainian Red Cross is assisting people inside the country by aiding with collecting blood, mobilizing volunteers and resources and conducting emergency activities.

Donate to the Ukrainian Red Cross here.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK), established in 2010, is an organization that deploys chefs directly to disaster areas to provide hot meals to those in need. Since February, WCK has provided over 100 million hot meals and meal kits to those in need in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

Donate to World Central Kitchen here.

GlobalGiving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund

GlobalGiving is raising funds to support locally-led organizations throughout Ukraine. Donations to the fund will provide essentials for refugees, plus health and psychological support as well as access to education and economic assistance. To date, the fund has raised more than $54 million.

Contributors can also donate directly to GlobalGiving partners for specific projects, including helping Ukrainian children with cancer, providing transport for rescued pets, evacuating orphans and more.

Donate directly to GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund here.

Vostok SOS

Vostok SOS is a Ukraine-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that assists areas of conflict within Ukraine. The organization accepts donations to help aid local people, evacuate the vulnerable and provide trauma support after shelling.

Donate directly to Vostok SOS via bank transfer.

Credit card payments are also accepted through Libereco, a Vostok SOS partner.

Voices of Children

Created in 2015, the Voices of Children Foundation has been providing psychological support to children affected by war in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine through art therapy, video storytelling, mobile psychology access and more.

According to an August report, the organization has helped hundreds of families since the start of the war, providing financial assistance, psychological support and rehabilitation courses for children with disabilities.

Donate to Voices of Children here.

Media Support

Donating directly toward the media in Ukraine can help fight Russian misinformation and keep Ukrainians informed of the latest developments. A GoFundMe has been launched by various organizations to help Ukraine’s media outlets relocate and continue their operations from European Union countries.

Donate to the media support GoFundMe here.

Kyiv School of Economics

The Kyiv School of Economics has created an initiative to provide equipment and services to those directly involved in the war through its charitable foundation. This equipment includes supplies for medics, basic necessities and psychological support for civilians, and purchasing and repairing off-road vehicles for the military.

Donate to the Kyiv School of Economics’ initiative here.

Humanity & Inclusion

Humanity & Inclusion (H&I) is an international nongovernmental organization that works to support people with disabilities in areas of conflict, poverty and disaster. H&I workers have arrived in Ukraine to assess how it can help distribute medical equipment, provide post-operative care for the injured and offer mental health support. Donations go toward supplying emergency kits and rehabilitation and mental health support sessions.

Donate to Humanity & Inclusion here.

Future for Ukraine

After hiding in bomb shelters and fleeing Ukraine, a group of displaced Ukrainian women founded Future for Ukraine to support those continuing to suffer from the war. Now, they’re organizing efforts to aid displaced Ukrainian children and women coping with the psychological consequences of the war. Future for Ukraine also helps provide prosthetics for wounded Ukrainians abroad, and humanitarian aid to affected regions within Ukraine.

Donate to Future for Ukraine here.

How to Support Ukrainian Refugees

According to a tracker from the United Nations refugee agency, over 7.6 million Ukrainian refugees have been recorded across Europe. Many have fled to neighboring countries, including Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.

Many refugees are in dire need of basic supplies, food and resources as they’re forced to rebuild their lives. You can volunteer or donate to the following organizations to help them do this.

ENGin

ENGin is a nonprofit organization that pairs Ukrainians with English-speaking volunteers for free online conversation practice. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old, fluent in English and can dedicate one hour a week for conversation practice, for at least 10-12 weeks. No teaching experience is required and curriculum is provided for accepted volunteers. (Disclaimer: The author of this article is currently a volunteer with ENGin).

Read more on how to volunteer with ENGin here.

ENGin is free for participants and relies on donations and grants for funding. Donate to ENGin here.

USA for UNHCR

USA for UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, continues to raise funds to provide basic necessities and home repairs in villages across Ukraine. The organization has created a restricted donation fund where 100% of donations go toward supporting Ukrainian refugees. It previously partnered with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to match $1 million in donations.

Donate to USA for UNHCR’s Ukraine mission here.

Global Empowerment Mission

This nonprofit has accomplished a variety of assistance to Ukraine since the outbreak of the war. To date, it has assisted in nearly 39,000 relocations of refugees, placed nearly 14,000 individuals in temporary housing, and has repaired hundreds of buildings and homes. Donations continue to support these efforts.

Donate to the Global Empowerment Mission here.

Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)

Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to immediate crisis response. CORE is working in Poland and Romania to help support Ukrainian refugees. Donations provide cash assistance to displaced families and distribute hygiene kits with soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, thermal blankets and other essential hygiene items.

Donate to CORE here.

The International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee is a longstanding organization that provides resources to those fleeing countries in crisis, including cash assistance, medical treatment and more. The organization is on the ground in Poland and Ukraine to support people who have had to flee their homes.

Donate to the International Rescue Committee here.

The Polish Red Cross

Most Ukrainian refugees have crossed into the country’s eastern neighbor, Poland. The Polish Red Cross has provided humanitarian aid to over 800,000 refugees since the start of the war, including sending essential supplies such as equipment for hospitals, food, blankets and clothes across the border into Ukraine.

Donate to the Polish Red Cross here. (Note: the website is in Polish, but most browsers have an option to translate pages into English. Donations will be made in local Polish currency, zloty, and will be converted according to your bank or credit card’s current exchange rate. See here for bank transfer donations.)

Malteser International

Malteser International, the humanitarian relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta, is involved in relief efforts for Ukraine. The organization provides food, shelter, emergency medical care and more within Ukraine and neighboring countries. You can donate specifically to its efforts in Ukraine on the donation page; select “Ukraine” in the drop-down box after selecting a donation amount.

Donate to Malteser International here.