A day after putting a call out on its Facebook page, the London Ukrainian Centre is already collecting tables full of donations to support Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
The centre announced starting Tuesday it would be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., accepting donations for humanitarian aid.
First aid kits, feminine hygiene products, canned food and baby food, clothing, and medicine are all in-demand items.
Donations to the centre are being organized and then packaged up to send to Ukraine, but the centre is also accepting monetary donations.
Komoka resident Tetyana Dowson was born in Ukraine and still has family in the Kherson region, which is under attack.
“My mom, my stepdad, my grandmother, my brother, everyone is there at the moment,” she said.
“The news does not even show half of what is going on there it’s really horrible.”
Dowson said medical supplies, food, and baby formula are desperately needed. She also said items like adult diapers are needed for those injured in the hospital, and granola bars for soldiers.
“Everyone at the moment can make a big difference, every drop of help and donations can help my country to fight this tyrant Putin, and your prayers mean a lot to my country,” she said.
As for her loved ones in Ukraine, she said they are still fighting to defend their country.
“I have friends living in Kyiv; she has two kids and husband and they are fighting with the army. Her 14-year-old son during the daytime is making Molotov cocktails and 19-year-old son is fighting with his father for Kyiv.”
Pavlo Ohorodnyk is a physician at St. Joseph’s Health Care, and a member of the Ukrainian Centre.
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He tells 980 CFPL he’s been unable to make contact with some loved ones living in the war zone.
“We are going through stages of grief; disbelief, then anger, and eventually more of acceptance. We are in the disbelief stage right now, everyone is anxious about what will happen,” Ohorodnyk said.
People wanting to show support can also do so through the Canadian Red Cross.
The federal government has said it will match all donations to the Red Cross to help bring humanitarian relief to Ukraine.
The Ontario government announced last week that it will be donating $300,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
The money will be donated to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and used to “support humanitarian purposes” including “providing medical aid, emergency shelter and food security” in Ukraine.
— with files from Natalie Lovie
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