I need to do something to help UkraineDate: 3/22/2022 I don’t know about you, but watching the daily reports about the war in Ukraine has affected me in an unexpected manner.
It deeply depresses me.
Now, I’m not sure just why this is the result, but I suspect because as I get older, these actions that are born out of cruelty and evil are increasingly offensive.
It’s like seeing the rioters who invaded the Capitol building bring in the Confederate flag. It’s an image that provoked a deep emotional response in me.
Let’s face it, in order to endure the act of being human, we have to be able to process much heartache and many inexplicable events. For whatever reason, this war has broken through my life-learned emotional defenses.
So, I wondered what the best way would be to get help to the refugees living in countries such as Poland. I asked the wisdom of the internet, and the following are the answers.
UNICEF is mounting a campaign to specifically aid the children of Ukraine. The website notes administrative fees are at 3 percent, which means most of the money goes to helping children: unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-children-crossfire-ukraine-crisis/39542.
The World Food Program USA is asking for donation aimed at the refugees at secure.wfpusa.org/donate/ukraineconflict-gsst.
Catholic Relief Services has also mounted a special campaign and can be accessed at support.crs.org/donate/donate-ukraine.
Locally, Big Y World Class Markets are partnering with the American Red Cross to raise donations to help provide humanitarian relief to Ukraine. Through March 30, Big Y customers and employees will have the opportunity to donate to the American Red Cross relief efforts at all Big Y World Class Markets throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.
There is another side which we must consider, and that’s some refugees may not be able to go back and may be resettled in other countries, such as ours.
Matt Murphy of the State House News Service reported on March 16 that “The House plans to take up a resolution as soon as Thursday [March 17] calling on the Biden administration and Gov. Charlie Baker to give ‘expedited consideration’ to Ukrainian refugees seeking to enter the United States and resettle in Massachusetts. As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to prompt millions to flee the country, House Speaker Ron Mariano, with the support of Minority Leader Brad Jones, circulated a resolution on Tuesday [March 15] intended to demonstrate the House’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their fight to protect their sovereignty. ‘Massachusetts House of Representatives hereby calls upon the Federal government and the Baker Administration to immediately provide for expedited consideration for Ukrainian refugees seeking to enter the United States and Massachusetts,’ the resolution states, in part. The House approved $10 million in a mid-year spending bill passed last week to assist with the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees seeking to relocate to Massachusetts. The United Nations has estimated that 3 million Ukrainians have fled the country so far, with many crossing over into Poland, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has said that number could climb as high as 4 million Baker signed an executive order earlier this month directing all executive branch agencies to review all state contracts and terminate any agreements with Russian state-owned companies … That order also directed the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants to work with the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and other agencies to support Ukrainian immigrants and refugees fleeing the conflict.”
It would not surprise me that Western Massachusetts would be a good place fro resettlement as there is a Ukrainian population here.
In any event, my wife and I will be donating money to one of these groups in an attempt to try to offer relief for the suffering this country is experiencing. I hope you would consider doing so as well.
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