With over 10,000 people of Ukrainian descent living in Windsor-Essex, the City of Windsor has provided suggestions for residents to donate to the war-torn nation.
The City has already expressed support for the eastern European country by flying the Ukrainian flag in Charles Clark Square, placing a blue-and-yellow clenched fist in a window of City Hall, and illuminated City Hall blue-and-yellow at night.
"The human tragedy unfolding right now in Ukraine reminds us all about the tremendous privileges of peace and freedom we share as Canadians," said Mayor Drew Dilkens. "As individual residents, we are appalled by what we see occurring and ask, What can we do? The City of Windsor has compiled an initial list of organizations soliciting donations to support families in Ukraine."
The City has issued a list of suggested places for people to donate, but points out that it is not affiliated with any of them, and is not collecting donations on their behalf. Windsor News Today and Blackburn Media are also not affiliated with any charity.
• Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal - operated by the Canadian Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The federal government is matching dollar-for-dollar donations made by individual Canadians to the Red Cross until March 18.
• United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) - support for Ukrainians forced to leave their homes.
• UNICEF - working to provide communities with safe water, medical aid and health care services.
• Canada-Ukraine Foundation - delivers assistance projects that are generated by Canadians to Ukraine.
• Canada Helps - a collection of charities providing urgent aid in Ukraine.
• Doctors Without Borders - international teams of physicians sent to conflict zones, natural disasters and epidemics.
• Help Us Help - works with established networks on the ground to distribute supplies to those in need.
• Global Medic - provides humanitarian aid to those who have fled Ukraine for Moldova, Poland, and other neighbouring countries.
• Ukrainian World Congress - supports the Ukrainian government with donations for humanitarian initiatives.
• Ukrainian National Federation Windsor Ontario Branch - Facebook group created by Windsor-Essex residents from Ukraine or of Ukrainian descent.
According to the 2016 Canadian census, there were 1.5-million people of Ukrainian descent living in Canada, making them the 11th largest ethnic or cultural group.