CareBridge - Daveed's Ukraine Direct Action
Overview
I'm David, 49 years old. I live in Spain with my daughter, age 2, who is half -Ukranian; born two years ago in Kharkiv. She is back home in Valencia with grandma.
I have been at the Polish/Ukrainian border and in nearby Krakow; since Monday, Feb 28th. I rented a car, which I've been using to transfer families from the border to homes of locals; who are offering shelter.
I'll make every attempt to use the donations to directly help Ukrainian families, or give the money to others doing the same. Anything left will go to Save the Children-Ukraine. I will spend it to help with what's needed immediately: paying for housing, putting flight tickets in their hands, buying food & medicine, etc.
GoFundMe Link
Other donation methods
Bizzum: 680968391
Iban: ES28 1465 0100 9417 0737 6016 to David Walzer
How can you help Daveed?
Daveed, part of SF burner community, is on site at the Polish/Ukrainian border with local volunteers (near Krakow). Refugees are almost exclusively women alone with children, or unaccompanied children; as all men have been conscripted to help defend the country. Currently border crossing on foot is a 20+ hour wait; unlettered in temperatures hovering just below zero. Hypothermia, especially among children, is common. Wait to cross by car is 2+ days.
In order to relieve pressure on local housing resources; we are giving, free of charge, tickets for flights/trains to anywhere in Europe for those families who have hosts/family/friends in distant parts of Europe.
As a long time member of the SF bay area burner community; we will be asking for help in several areas; please review the posts, as we announce requests.
Donations will not go to some charity; but directly into the hands of families, in the form of flights/train tickets/cash. Those families who consent, we will share their stories.
Things are getting difficult in Krakow, we've run out of homes and beds... there's a big push to move people along further into Europe. But serving here is more than eliminating suffering, it's also about creating joy. Another mystery and paradox of these difficult days.
You can also help in different ways by joining the [LINK] Facebook Group to solve researching issues like:
[LINK] Shelter - Medicines - Food - Clothes - Legal
Please fill in this form, so that we could find a matching need and connect the refugee from Ukraine with you. Thank you for your support! This initiative is only about supporting those who had to leave Ukraine. We do not collect donations or goods. But if you want to help in this way, please check [LINK] https://supportukrainenow.org/
Uber & Airbnb
Both Uber and Airbnb have issued press releases, stating programs to assist the Ukrainian refugee challenge with transit and housing. Lots of flowery language and numbers; but zero guidance for how to access the help... In the groups actually providing these things on site in Poland; no one has heard about it at all. Need someone to contact Uber & Airbnb; and dig to get concrete instructions on how to access the aid. If you know anyone working there, that's a bonus.
Covid-19
For the following countries, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden need to know the COVID entry requirements for air travel; specifically:
- Are vaccinations required, or can travelers show test results? If so, do antigen tests qualify?
- Which vaccines qualify
- What age kids are exempt from requirements
- Are their any policy exemptions for refugee travelers.
Researching the right information is crucial for all.
Are you Ukrainian?
[LINK] Ukrainian Burners Refugee Support Initiative (форма для біженців)
Будь ласка, заповніть форму, аби ми могли вам оперативно допомогти. Зауважте, що суть нашої ініціативи це допомога тим, хто покинув свій дім, біженцям та тим, хто шукає притулку за межами України. Ми не розглядаємо запити щодо надання інших видів допомоги.
[LINK] A list of countries and companies offering free travel.
Insight information.
[LINK] Ukranians can travel for FREE through Poland.
- offer is until 25.03
- people from Ukraine can travel free of charge in second class of IC (intercity stop in major cities or junctions, marked in time table as ICC) and TLK (those are trains usually stopping on more stations)
- people travel showing their UA passport or any other form of ID confirming their Ukrainian citizenship.
- UA citizens can pick up sits reservations or if there is no more sits to reserve they can travel without it. - the website doesn’t say how to do it but I would assume the easiest is to go to the window at the station (on bigger cities they might have extra customer office at the station).
- if ticket was already bought it can be fully refunded
- travelling for pets is free.
[LINK] A practical manual on casualty care treatment, translated for Ukrainians.
Please share with anyone you might know there.
[LINK] GSM Mobile Operator Service for Ukranians
-Free calls to Ukraine
-Free data roaming for Ukrainian phones
[LINK] Mental health care delegation lands in Poland to aid Jewish Ukrainian
The Diaspora Department recruited the first delegation of its kind in the field of resilience and post-trauma mental health care to fly out and assist with the care of the refugees.
Results (Date 1/04/22)
Donations: Over U$S 248.000.
People: Around 50 people per day (since 11/03/22) have been aided with shelter, food, medicine, cash and transport to EU countries.
People involved: More than 50 people actively helping and supporting the cause. 6.000 people joined the FB group. Housing team arrived to Catalunya, Spain.
Smiles: Hundreds kids have forgotten for a few minutes the war.
