BBB Wise Giving Alliance is pleased to release the sixth entry in a series of posts by Kateryna (Katya) Zhuk. Katya heads a Ukraine charity monitoring organization, Charity Tuner. This organization, along with BBB Wise Giving Alliance, is a member of an association of standards-based charity monitors from around the world.

Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine

By Kateryna Zhuk 

As the end of the year approaches, Ukrainians face another hard winter. Of course, we have been working to restore infrastructure and reconnect electricity. We try to install generators in yards (and avoid their theft) or connect generators at home (although few people can afford them). We have stocked up on some gas burners and firewood, we are exchanging warm clothes and making a stock of candles. Humanitarian aid, however, is still an essential need.

In recent months, there have been discussions that some previous aid for Ukrainians disappeared due to lack of reporting, accounting and/or theft. That is why a specialized Ukrainian government ministry decided to reach out to large Ukrainian foundations to help solve the problem. During the last six months,  there have been many meetings about managing aid. There also was outreach to international institutions with experience in providing relief assistance in a thorough manner.

Although the initial plan was to launch aid-management changes by December 1, 2023, the system required additional attention and a new target date of April 1, 2024, has been set. In the meantime, humanitarian aid is still an urgent issue for those:
– whose homes were destroyed,
– who are dependent on medications,
– who have nothing to eat, not to mention things for the kids,
– and many others who are rarely thought of because the problems are no longer receiving the global attention that they once did.

Perfect world (a Ukrainian’s dream)

Ideally, the process should be simple. There are people who need help. People apply to the foundation. The foundation makes a list and applies to a foreign charity to provide the specified items/services. The organization, which has the resources, responds, and distributes everything with photos and accompanying receipts.

While most donors imagine the process in this way, the reality can be quite different. An acquaintance complained to me, “Look, I gave up on humanitarian aid a year ago. I tried it once and they almost declared me a fraud because I didn’t send pictures of happily dressed children a week later.”

Another friend of mine was offered a whole truckload of children’s clothes and stationery a year ago. Having happily agreed, knowing the needs of different families, including displaced children and orphanages, he waited for the humanitarian aid and planned heavy and complicated logistics. A post office, where the humanitarian aid was to be shipped, was targeted by a missile. As a result, he could not quickly deliver everything as planned. And he received a complaint that took my breath away: “You didn’t report in a week!”

These are not isolated incidents. Humanitarian aid faces many challenges: broken roads, shelling, the front line, vehicle inspections, and the movement of people inside a warring country. There is also the pile of documents for preparing the import of cargo and subsequent reporting to the tax authorities. Some donors may need to decide what is more important, photos with smiling children or providing aid for the sake of effective help.

Searching

There is no single resource that provides a list of all humanitarian organizations helping Ukrainians (I understand all the risks, but I am seriously considering creating one). Therefore, in most cases, the search for help is not always effective. Or, the Ukrainian foundation is ready to take whatever is offered in the hope others will be helped. All of this requires additional resource to find aid recipients, to process unfamiliar products, and to set up new logistics.

Costs

Some small Ukrainian foundations declined to accept humanitarian aid because they did not have enough resources to pay an accountant/driver/another manager. Humanitarian aid, like any other kind of aid, requires administrative resources. One may also need the knowledge of working with customs, drivers,  escorts, financiers, accountants, and/or lawyers. Also, a manager will need to collect requests, print lists, post on Facebook, and make reports. Of course, this administrative activity is much cheaper than the contents of the shipment but must be addressed to be accountable to donors.  

New system

In the past 30 years, Ukrainians have gone through everything imaginable: post-Soviet semi-starvation, two revolutions, a pandemic, occupation, war with incessant bombing, and drones. We are used to solving our problems ourselves and not relying on the state. This time, it is impossible to pull it all out alone.

We are far from legislative reforms in the sphere of charity and social activity, there is a lot of bureaucracy (although we are trying to reduce it). The very practitioners who have been helping people for years are trying to make all the changes for the better. Because there are fraudsters in all countries of the world and practically in any sphere of activity, charity is no exception, and everyone tries to fight them. 

If you don’t know which organizations to pass help through or you are not sure that the request for help came from an effective working organization – write to me, let’s check it out together. Because the most important goal is to help people. And Ukrainians are ready to do everything to make sure that this help comes to the right place.

But please remember, this winter we still need generators, medicine, and hygiene products.

Katryna Zhuk
Warsaw, Poland
December 19, 2023

Links to donate humanitarian aid and communications:
https://www.helpeplus.org/
https://skarbnitsya.org/
https://pomogaem.com.ua/index.php
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Monsters.Inc.Odessa/
https://krona.niko.ua/
https://krab.org.ua/
https://krylanadiyi.org.ua/
https://svoyi.org.ua/

Notes from BBB Wise Giving Alliance:
The links to charitable organizations listed above were compiled by the author, Kateryna Zhuk. Since these organizations are not located in the United States, contributions from Americans may not be deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes. BBB Wise Giving Alliance has not evaluated these charities and has not determined whether they meet the BBB Charity Standards. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of Kateryna Zhuk and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and its employees. 

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features Kitty Block, President & CEO, The Humane Society of the United States, (a BBB Accredited Charity). Kitty Block discusses how the charity addresses its mission of ending the cruelest practices toward animals, rescuing and caring for animals in crisis, and expanding the influence and impact of the animal protection movement worldwide. 

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• SOAR365
• mothers2mothers International
• Humane Society International

Finally, remember to let us know by going to www.give.org/charity-inquiry if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Donating to Tennessee Tornado Relief Efforts

This past Saturday, December 9^th, thirteen tornadoes ripped through the Middle Tennessee and Greater Nashville area resulting in six deaths and over 80 people being sent to hospitals. Eleven counties in Tennessee were impacted by these devastating storms. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency declared a state of emergency for Middle Tennessee. On December 13th, President Biden approved a disaster declaration for Tennessee and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. For those seeking to help those impacted by the storm, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips on giving.

Donate to experienced groups.  Support experienced organizations that stand ready to provide effective assistance. Be cautious of organizations that form overnight in the wake of a disaster.

Find out how funds will be used. Vague descriptions of how the collected funds will be used should also be a yellow caution light. For example, will the funds be used to assist with medical expenses, reconstruction, funerals or other activities? Thoughtful requests for funding will take the added step of identifying and verifying needs before money is raised.

Review crowdfunding procedures. Crowdfunding platforms are not all the same. Some do a better job of vetting postings and projects that appear on their site than others. Review the site’s description of its oversight procedures before you participate. If you can’t easily find this description, visit a site that is more transparent.  Also, some crowdfunding postings may be using pictures of impacted families without their permission. Don’t assume a photo confirms an official connection.

Your gift may not be deductible. If a crowdfunding posting is claiming to be helping a specific named individual or family, donors in the U.S. generally cannot claim a federal income tax deduction as a charitable gift, even if the individual or family is in need. See IRS Publication 526, page 6, for more information on this subject. 

Rely on expert opinion. Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a charity. We recommend giving to charities that meet all 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, found at BBB’s Give.org.

The following organizations are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) and are engaged in tornado relief efforts. 

American Red Cross – Tornado Relief Activities

Salvation Army (National Corporation) – Tornado Relief Activities

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee – Tornado Relief Activities

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion with Anastasiia Tur, Chief Development Officer, and Igor Lisin, Vice-President, at Foundation Ukraine – one of the biggest organizations supporting migrants in Poland.

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Canopy Children’s Solutions
• Holt International Children’s Services
• HIAS 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Public Has Highest Trust for Veterans Organizations

Last week, BBB Wise Giving Alliance released the latest edition of its annual Donor Trust Report. For the first time in six years of this electronic survey of 2,100 adults across the United States, veterans organizations were perceived as the most trusted charity category. Respondents were asked to assess their trust across thirteen (13) different charity categories. Using a 10-point scale with 10 being highest, 28% gave veterans organizations a score of 9 or 10.  Below is a chart showing the different charity categories and their respective percentage of high trust.

While there are many influences on what makes the public trust charities, participants selected the following top three signals of a trustworthy charity: (1) accomplishments shared by the organization, (2) third party charity evaluations, and (3) name recognition. (See page 20 of DTR.) In addition, a variety of environmental circumstances can bring attention to specific causes. For example, it is possible that the increased attention on the war in Ukraine directed public concern toward veterans causes.

The following link provides advice on making donations to veterans and military service charities and also includes a list of such groups that are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., found to meet all 20 of the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.)

Please note that the Donor Trust Report survey responses identify donor perceptions and are not an objective measure of the accountability of the identified charity categories. Over the many decades that BBBs have reported on publicly soliciting veterans charities, there have been scammers that sought to take advantage of the popularity of this cause. This underscores the significant role of third-party monitoring groups, such as BBB Wise Giving Alliance, in urging donors to check out charities before they donate so they can give with confidence.

In contrast to the above Donor Trust Survey results of adults in the United States, when the same questions were asked of 1,000 Canadian adults, veterans organizations were not the most trusted category, but ranked third. In Canada, not-for-profit hospitals and health organizations scored higher.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features Misty Copeland, the first African American female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre and Caryn Campbell, Executive Director of the Misty Copeland Foundation, an organization that aims to bring greater DEI to dance, especially ballet.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Feeding America
• FoodCorps
• Helping Hand for Relief and Development
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

2023 International Charity Fraud Awareness Week

BBB Wise Giving Alliance is proud to help promote the 2023 International Charity Fraud Awareness Week (November 27 – December 1) which is an international coalition of regulators, law enforcement agencies, charities and nonprofit associations seeking to raise charity fraud awareness.

Donor Tips to Fight Fraud

• Don’t Click on the Link. Donors should be careful about clicking on links or QR codes that appear in charity appeals within social media and emails. Scammers may direct you to a false page in order to steal your personal data. If interested in the referenced organization, visit the charity’s website on your own.
• Avoid Mistaken Charity Identity. Look at the name carefully as many charity names sound similar. Sometimes it’s because charities are raising money for the same cause, other times it’s because questionable groups are seeking to confuse you.
• Watch Out for Excessive Fundraising Pressure. Well managed charities will welcome your donations at any time. If you experience pressure to make an immediate gift decision, that can be a ruse to get you to contribute without checking.
• Be Wary of Vague Program Descriptions. Be alert to appeals that bring tears to your eyes but say little about what the charity is doing to address the problems described.

Tips for Charities to Fight Fraud

• Be Aware of Email Compromise Fraud. Charity accounting staff may receive an email that appears to be coming from another staff member asking them to change their checking account number on their payroll deposit when in fact this is an attempt to misdirect funds to a scammer. To avoid such deceptions. look at the email address and wording of the email carefully and call employees to verify important financial record changes.
• Look Out for Fake Check Scams. A charity receives an email from an individual announcing a large donation will be sent via overnight mail. The scammer calls after the check arrives and says an error was made and the charity needs to return some of the money via wire transfer or online for a medical or other personal emergency. After the money is returned, the charity learns the original check is fake.
• Don’t Process Phony Invoices. The charity may receive an invoice for services never ordered, such as a listing in a non-existent directory. Implementing additional controls, such as requiring purchase order request forms, may help address this problem.
• Verify Vendor Before Sharing Info. If an outside company contacts the charity requesting bank numbers or other sensitive information, verify that they are an authorized vendor, the appropriate contact, and the nature of the transaction. The charity’s accounting firm may also have suggestions for establishing additional internal controls.

Take the Time to Check Out Charities

Verify Government Registration. About 40 of the 50 states in the U.S. require charities to register with the attorney general’s office or secretary of state. You can verify an organization’s charitable tax-exempt status at this IRS link. In Canada, check with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Check for BBB Charity Accreditation. Visit Give.org to verify if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., a BBB Accredited Charity.) There is no charge to charities for the accreditation evaluation and access to published reports is free.

Visit the Charity’s Website. See if the charity’s website includes the type of information you would find in an annual report: a statement about their mission, a summary of accomplishments in the past year, a roster of the board of directors, and the charity’s latest financial statements.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features Asha Curran, CEO, GivingTuesday, the organization that seeks to inspire generosity around the world. The donation campaign event which takes place in the U.S. on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving was created in 2012 as a day for giving and has since grown into a global movement to encourage giving.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• American Humane
• Catholic Relief Services
• Civil Air Patrol
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Participating on GivingTuesday

For GivingTuesday on November 28^th, BBB Wise Giving Alliance urges donors like you to check out charities on the Give.org website to ensure that your contributions are going to trustworthy organizations. Our detailed, standards-based charity evaluations provide information to help you make wise giving decisions.

BBB WGA is sharing five tips to help donors give wisely on Tuesday and throughout this holiday season. 

1. Watch out for mistaken identity. When charities seek support for the same cause, their names are often similar. Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
2. Avoid excessive pressure to donate. Typically, the holidays bring a higher frequency of donation requests. Don’t succumb to pressure to make an immediate giving decision to unfamiliar organizations. Responsible charities will welcome your gift tomorrow as much as they do today.
3. Be wary of overly emotional appeals. If an appeal brings tears to your eyes, make sure it is also clear about what the charity intends to do to address the issues.
4. Engage the family in giving decisions. Sit down with your family and/or friends to identify the causes and charities that are most meaningful to you.
5. Rely on standards-based evaluations. Charities that are found to meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability are helping to demonstrate their trustworthiness. Get free access to charity reports at Give.org.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features Alpana Chhibber-Zuniga, Lead Facilitator and Trainer for Molina Consulting. Alpana has expertise on a wide range of DEIA topics like Unconscious Bias, Addressing Microaggressions, Culturally Responsive Education, and Restorative Justice.

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Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Year End Giving Plans

As the year draws to a close in less than two months, now is a good time to begin making your end of year giving plans so you are not rushing at the last minute. You also will be reminded to make donations on Giving Tuesday (November 28^th) and throughout the holiday season when many charities receive a large portion of their annual gifts. To further assist your contribution choices, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following considerations.

Finding Alternatives to Cash Contributions

If money is tight, remember there are other ways to help. Consider donating nonperishable food to food banks. Some communities organize donations of warm coats in good condition. And don’t forget a number of charities that welcome donated toys to help needy children. The earlier you help these efforts, the more likely your generosity will do the most good, as soon as possible. For more tips on donating goods, see this post.

Helping Earthquake Recoveries

In the past year, there were a number of earthquakes that caused devastating damage: Syria and Turkey in February, Morocco in September, and most recently Afghanistan in October. To address immediate needs, charitable relief organizations help conduct rescues, distribute meals, offer medical care, and provide shelters. Impacted areas, however, also have long-term recovery needs. Charities and other organizations will be involved in helping families build homes, schools, houses of worship and repair roads. Donors can donate at this time to help accomplish these necessary improvements.

Addressing Community Needs After Shootings

Donors are heartbroken when they hear about tragedies that involve mass shootings. While so many of these awful crimes take place, some have received significant attention in the 2023 headlines such as the shootings in a dance studio in Monterey Park, California this past January, an elementary school in Nashville in March, and those killed by a mass shooter in Lewiston, Maine in October. Many donors responded to crowdfunding requests to help the victims and their families and/or sought to support organizations seeking to address gun control issues. These locations also should be remembered for their ongoing needs to strengthen the recovering communities as they seek to rebuild trust and address continuing medical needs.

Remembering Maui

The devastating August wildfires in Maui, Hawaii caused unbelievable damage and burned thousands of acres. Long-term recovery and rebuilding will take years to complete. Many organizations are working to help this area repair and improve. Review this list of BBB Accredited Charities.

Providing Ukraine Relief

Remember there are international relief organizations that continue to provide help to areas of Ukraine. As the war continues, demands also continue for medicines, food, and other urgent items. Some groups are working with local Ukraine charities and houses of worship to help distribute assistance. The attached list of BBB Accredited Charities provided help to Ukraine in 2022, visit these charities’ respective websites to learn if they have current Ukraine assistance efforts.

Assisting Relief Efforts in Israel and Gaza

For those seeking to help victims and families impacted by the war between Israel and Hamas, there are many opportunities to donate. See the list of BBB Accredited Charities addressing these needs.

Favorite Causes

Of course, don’t forget to donate to your favorite organizations as well. We also recommend you take the time to visit Give.org to verify if the chosen charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features Jean Accius, Ph.D., President & CEO, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities. Dr. Accius leads an organization that seeks to break down the barriers to health and empower communities to thrive.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Catholic Medical Mission Board
• Easterseals North Georgia
• Voto Latino Foundation
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Many donors will choose to honor Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Canada) by making contributions to charities that help veterans, military service members, and/or their families. To help donors make wise giving decisions about charities that address this community, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips.

Watch Out for Name Confusion

Some veterans charities include the same words in different order or slightly different form. So, be alert and make sure the organization you are considering is the one you want to support.

Find Out What They Do

Don’t assume what the veterans organization does based on their name alone. Look for a clear description of the organization’s programs in its appeals and on its website.

Be Cautious with Phone Appeals

If not managed properly, some telemarketing campaigns for veterans organizations can be an expensive means of raising funds, especially if the charity is making “cold calls” to people who have not donated previously. Don’t be pressured to make an immediate gift, accountable charities will welcome your donation whenever you want to send it.

Ask How Donated Items Will Be Used

Find out how the charity benefits from the collection and resale of used clothing, cars, and other in-kind donations. Sometimes the charity receives only a small portion of the resale price of the item or may have a contractual arrangement with a third-party to get a flat fee for each sale.

Check Give.org

In addition to charity reports on BBB’s Give.org, check with your state government’s charity registration agency, usually a division of either the Attorney General’s office or Secretary of State’s office. In Canada, check with the Canada Revenue Agency.

For more giving advice and to access a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards) that address veterans and military service issues, see the following link.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion with Tonyel Edwards, Partner, The Bridgespan Group and Aria Florant Co-Founder & CEO, Liberation Ventures.

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• EARTHDAY.ORG
• World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals
• Students For Life of America
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

Establish Strong Passwords

Be Cautious of Social Media Recommendations

Don’t Click the Link

Watch Out for Look-alike Names

Backup Data

Protect Against Malware

Secure Staff Devices

Implement Password Procedures

Alert Staff About Security Risks

 

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion with Bennett Weiner, Executive Vice President & COO, BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Bennett provides advice about donating to disaster relief charities.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Goodwill of North Georgia
• Store to Door
• Days End Farm Horse Rescue
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

 

BBB Wise Giving Alliance is pleased to release the fifth entry in a series of posts by Kateryna (Katya) Zhuk. Katya heads a Ukraine charity monitoring organization, Charity Tuner. This organization, along with BBB Wise Giving Alliance, is a member of an association of standards-based charity monitors from around the world.

Ukraine Update – Helping Special Medical Care Needs

By Kateryna Zhuk

As part of the unusual circumstances already experienced by almost 5 million Ukrainian refugees, there is something that exacerbates their circumstance:- palliative care for children and adults. This consists of people with specialized medical needs that involve a serious illness. Each family with a palliative patient has a different situation, and degree of dependence on medications, home, hospice, equipment (and electricity).

According to the United Nations World Health Organization, there should be a minimum of 100 palliative care beds per 1 million population. Ukraine, which had suffered before the war, did not come close to this threshold during its first stage of health care reform. There was a shortage of qualified doctors, specialists, equipment, and hospices. Individual initiative groups, including foundations and others, witnessed this problem with palliative care for years. They diligently developed projects and sought funding, but… the war came. Thousands of Ukrainian palliative patients – children and adults – found themselves not only without access to a doctor, but also without electricity by winter, on which the work of life-support equipment depends.

Katya Burlak, Head of the Palliative Line of the Krab Children’s Fund (Kyiv) indicates that “In the first months of the war, most of the transportable children were evacuated to the EU – Poland, Germany, France, and Italy (including cancer patients). Some people realized right away that they had to leave, and some left in the winter because of blackouts. I have collected many different opinions and reviews about palliative care in different EU countries. Undoubtedly, everywhere the quality of palliative care is many times better than in Ukraine. But there are nuances that are not publicly spoken about (Ukrainians are very worried, believe me, that any of their statements can offend the welcoming side!). Based on these nuances, some families with children requiring palliative care decided to return to Ukraine, even risking death. Other families cannot go based on their urgent need.”

Problem #1. “Understand Me!”

If a child is born with a diagnosis requiring palliative care in a country with a working system of assistance, his/her parents immediately receive a certain road map: brochures, doctors’ phone numbers, referrals, the process of providing medicines, equipment at home, etc. In Denmark, the mother also receives help from a social worker, whose arrival gives the mother some rest. Ukrainian parents, who are used to seeking funds to save their children, and understanding doctors, tried very hard to get into the systems of other EU countries to help their children.

Tania Taftai, mother of a palliative child and head of the Komanda VanNadiia organization said: “Volunteers – interpreters from the German Diakonie, from the International Red Cross in different countries – helped a lot. But there have been no volunteers for a long time now, people burn out and leave.” As a result, finding every nuance turns into another little battle. For a person tired of round-the-clock childcare, relief may not be available. In addition, medical workers do not know in advance what information a particular parent will need.

Problem #2. Transportation and Housing

The cost of a taxi exceeds the financial capacity of refugees, and a personal car is not affordable for these families. Tania Taftai shared that “[A Ukrainian family was] in Spain. They were helped to settle in a village, but they had to travel 100 kilometers [for medical care]. With a palliative child. They eventually returned home, counting on Ukrainian aid funds.”

Housing is one of the main problems. Hanna, head of Pallium for Ukraine foundation from Krakow, Poland, explains, “In our opinion, the state program of refugee accommodation for Ukrainian refugees in Poland is not adapted for seriously ill people and palliative care patients. Many months of searching for housing for our wards and observations suggest that all that can be expected is a room or a “bed”, often in a very remote area. Why is this not OK for a palliative patient? Let me explain with an example: we have a 10-year-old boy with a tracheostomy, gastrostomy, dependent on oxygen, non-transportable due to very severe deformities of the body (cannot be fixed in any wheelchair), and infected with a bacterium called S. aureus. In a hotel environment, there is a risk of infecting other people, which is unacceptable. The equipment and its supplies need space, and a family of 4 with a child cannot all live in a small room. The hospice team visits this child twice a week, and in [more serious cases], every day.  Therefore, it is also unacceptable to place him in a distant village where there is no access to/from the hospice. And almost all of our patients have such situations. So, if I could ask the international community to pay attention to only one problem of palliative care patients from Ukraine in Poland (and in the EU in general), I would write: Housing!”

Problem #3: Psychological Trauma

In one of my earlier posts for BBB Wise Giving Alliance, I noted that a Ukrainian family with a child suffering from psychological trauma has similar needs to families with troubled children in other parts of the world.

Support in the EU is very good; patients have most of the necessary things. Sometimes, however, the additional trauma of being far from home is so great that the family goes home.

Katya Burlak, who worked in palliative care for many years, told me: “Over the past year, perinatal screenings were missed in Ukraine, especially in rural areas. Stress and shelling have a great impact on pregnancy, and we expect an increase in birth pathologies. Terminations of pregnancy due to congenital pathologies of the fetus have become many times less. So, the number of palliative children is not decreasing. Where there is no active shelling – we leave the family at home, help as much as we can, and send information and help. At most – we can help to move to a safer region. But again, it is connected with expenses for rent, etc., it is hard financially.

Because European hospices are overcrowded and because [transportation is a problem] we do not take risks. At most, we move to quiet regions. All those who were taken to Europe are prescribed new medicines, which are not available in Ukraine. They are helped with equipment, which in Ukraine will have to be bought at the expense of foundations and so on. We discourage them from returning – the road is hard, the equipment does not always work because there is no electricity, and there are no supporting drugs. For oncology, it is ideal to stay in other countries for the time being.”

The EU hospice system was not designed for such a large number of patients, and Ukrainian children still need help and evacuation. The solution, it would seem, is to find partners in other countries who are ready to finance assistance, at least partially, for young patients.

Ukrainian hospices and visiting services work as before, but now mostly at the expense of humanitarian aid (consumable medical materials of all kinds: medicines, special food, hygiene products, etc.).

In case of a blackout, the number of families that leave Ukraine will increase. Vehicles, however, require fuel, which has gotten very expensive. Of course, the availability of medical equipment, such as anti-decubitus mattresses, aspirators, and oxygen concentrators, would be of great help.

Katryna Zhuk
Warsaw, Poland
October 23, 2023

Links for support in housing and medical equipment:

Pallium for Ukraine(Poland): https://www.facebook.com/PalliumforUA/
Krab (Ukraine):  https://krab.org.ua/
Wings of Hope (Ukraine): https://en.uwh.com.ua/
Svoyi (Ukraine):  https://svoyi.org.ua/en/projects/palliative-care/

Notes from BBB Wise Giving Alliance:
The links to charitable organizations listed above were compiled by the author, Kateryna Zhuk. Since these organizations are not located in the United States, contributions from Americans may not be deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes. BBB Wise Giving Alliance has not evaluated these charities and has not determined whether they meet the BBB Charity Standards. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this piece are solely those of Kateryna Zhuk and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and its employees. 

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast revisits our previous episodes shining the spotlight on inspiring personalities who have used dance as a vehicle for social good. Listen now to our compilation episode featuring Diana Byer, Eduardo Vilaro, and Rachel Liu.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Concern Worldwide US
• Global Fund for Children
• Canine Companions for Independence

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

 

Wise Giving Wednesday: Advancing Collaboration

About six years ago, BBB Wise Giving Alliance launched the Advancing Collaboration project. This special section of the Give.org website describes how charities connect with others to enable them to achieve more than they could accomplish alone. We encourage donors, charities and others interested in learning more about this objective to consider the following offerings:

• A series of twelve articles produced in partnership with Stanford Social Innovation Review that discuss different aspects of charity collaboration efforts.
• A framework of nine important considerations, such as the importance of building trust, to help create strong collaborations.
• Fifty charities share inspiring stories about the success of their collaborative efforts through videos and written summaries. Some show how their collaborations reflect the nine principles referenced above.

Collaboration is not always easy to accomplish as it can take time and resources. But given how fast things are changing and the challenges in finding new funding, it offers opportunities that may not be available otherwise. We also encourage donors to seek out organizations that engage in such partnerships and let them know how much you appreciate this added value to their menu of activities.

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Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion by Art Taylor, President & CEO, BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Art talks about charity finances, one of the most requested topics by donors.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Healing Paws for Warriors
• Helen Keller International
• League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.