How to Responsibly Donate to Ukrainian Causes
Beth Gazley, Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs, O'Neill School, Indiana University._____
When Russia invaded Ukraine, I responded like many Americans: by making charitable donations.
I was able to make my gift with confidence because I’m a scholar of nonprofits who has studied giving during disasters and other crises.
Mostly I’ve studied how charities help local communities after events like hurricanes and earthquakes, rather than war zones. But I’m also a human being, with friends and colleagues who are Ukrainian. Empathy and a personal connection to a cause are often what motivates donors to act.
You can wisely choose causes with the potential to do the most good in the middle of this humanitarian crisis by giving with your head as well as your heart. Here are the five guidelines I follow in my own giving decisions:
1) Send money to organizations, not strangers
Crowdfunding and social media fundraising campaigns have become so common that when I recently searched GoFundMe, it pointed me to 1,008 separate appeals for aid for individuals, families or causes related to Ukraine.
Most were posted by individuals, and I have no doubt that some will turn out to be fake.
2) Vet groups you’re unfamiliar with before donating to them
Verifying first that the cause is legitimate will make it easier to avoid funding scams.
A useful shortcut is to look for organizations that have been vetted by others. I tried a simple keyword search “Ukraine charities,” and that was enough to turn up some promising lists posted by media outlets.
A good place to start your sleuthing on US-based registered charities is the Internal Revenue Service. It also ensures you’re giving to the right group, rather than another organization with a
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