Live during wartime

Watching history unfold is both exhilarating and terrifying. My inner news-geek is oddly entertained by the political intrigue (both foreign and domestic) associated with the current conflict. It’s said that the political process is a peaceful substitute for war, but it seems that the process has broken down. War has begun, and we will be dissecting and interpreting the causes for decades.

As a history buff, I am also interested in the effects of entangling alliances, such as NATO, that act as protection against despots until they don’t. Once an aligned partner is attacked, mutual protection quickly becomes a military obligation, and in an age of globalization, economic interests sometimes clash with the boundaries of our military alliances. Although Ukraine is not aligned with NATO, their concerns are increasingly, painfully, becoming our own while commerce with the aggressor continues.

I was also once a 13-year-old boy, and I would be dishonest if I didn’t acknowledge my interest in the intrigue and mechanisms of war. “Backfilling” Poland with F-16s while figuring out how to slip MiG-29s over the border into Ukraine sounds like something out of a Tom Clancy novel, but is now reported on the nightly news. We have been engaged in proxy wars before, but I don’t recall them being quite as overt as this one. My hall of maps is also now up to Desert Storm standards and, in addition to my other potential hotspots (Middle East, Arctic Circle and South China Sea), I now have a full view of Russia, Eastern Europe and a new political map of Ukraine that includes what were once the 24 provinces.

I am privileged, of course, to derive entertainment value from the war in Ukraine simply because I’m not there. The facts on the ground are far less theoretical, the suffering is real, and the enemy is particularly cruel. Areas negotiated as “humanitarian corridors” have been shelled as refugees attempt to escape. Schools and hospitals have been targeted and the current number of refugees has now topped two million. The facts are chilling enough, yet this morning, I woke up to a photo of a mass grave in Mariupol on my newsfeed. So, what can we do? What can I do?

I reached out to my usual list of suspects and was unable to identify any local relief efforts, which is understandable. The cost of shipping material goods (i.e. diapers, formula, medical supplies, etc.) would be pound-foolish and, let’s face it, people in other parts of Europe and Asia have extra baby clothes too. It makes simple sense to satisfy those needs locally. As for donations of cash, well, I don’t have any to waste. If I make a donation, I need to be confident that it goes where it’s needed with a minimum of graft and other overhead.

I did learn about one interesting effort from Father Gary Brethour of St. Patrick’s Church. Being an international group by nature, the Knights of Columbus have created a Ukraine Solidarity Fund, which has funded humanitarian aid in the region. The Knights have boots on the ground in Poland and, among other efforts, they have established tents at the Polish-Ukrainian border to distribute food and water. They are also working with the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches in Ukraine and have set up collection points in Krakow, Radom and Tomaszow. Monetary donations can be made at www.kofc.org.

Another national organization with local ties is Rotary International. Although Rotary has no local efforts underway, Rotary has a Disaster Response Fund that makes grants available for water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing. A link to the Rotary Disaster Fund can be found at www.rotary.org

I also had a brief discussion about the matter with McCook Gazette Editor Bruce Crosby who provided me with a comprehensive list of funds and short URL contacts:

Nova Ukraine of Stanford, California has been helping Ukraine since 2013 and provides humanitarian aid in addition to raising awareness about Ukraine in the United States, building a “strong civil society” and “eliminating corruption.” - http://novaukraine.org

Razom for Ukraine is a New York-based organization born out of the 2014 Revolution. Donations are used for medical supplies and to “amplify the voices of Ukrainians.” - https://bit.ly/3CwFH55

The Washington DC Based, World Central Kitchen was founded by celebrity chef Jose’ Andre’ and is the cause celebre of many foodies. WCK views food as a universal human right and is feeding fresh meals to Ukrainian families fleeing home as well as those who remain in the country. - https://bit.ly/3CqeroZ

Also based in Washington, Global Giving has raised more than $10 million for its Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, is trying to reach $15 million, and they aren’t bashful about asking. Among the services offered are shelter, food and clean water for refugees as well as health and psychological support, but you won’t read that until you get past the donation page. - https://bit.ly/363sFjo

The American Red Cross distributes food and hygiene parcels to families “on the move” across Ukraine, and has delivered more than 32 tons of food, blankets, medical supplies and household items. - https://rdcrss.org/3hTUNIo

UNHCR is the Angelina Jolie-blessed United Nations Refugee agency that provides relief to refugees on all continents, including those in Ukraine. - https://bit.ly/3Cv52w8

Care International has set up a Ukraine Crisis Fund for food, water, hygiene kits, psychological support and cash assistance, with an emphasis on families, women, girls and the elderly - https://bit.ly/3tDOKx8

Unicef Ukraine, working out of their supply hub in Copenhagen, has provided food and medical supplies including PPE for aid workers who in addition to the war in Ukraine, are also contending with remnants of COVID-19 - https://uni.cf/3KzAWux

There are, no doubt, other funds set up by countless organizations. I trust that most will be legitimate, but I take comfort in knowing that relief efforts are underway and that we, as Americans, are able to lend assistance.