LOCAL EFFORTS FOR THE UKRAINIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of sovereign Ukraine on February 24 triggered a flow of refugees not seen since WWII. Most are women and children, and all need a numbing list of services. Neighboring countries have been welcoming, but the need will continue for months, possibly years, to come. Residents of Palisades are finding ways to help.

The Palisades Presbyterian Church has established a Ukrainian Relief Fund whereby residents of Palisades and beyond can make contributions with confidence that funds will go to those in need. Contributions are funneled through Act Alliance, a well-established consortium of 140 global religious organizations working together to respond to emergency needs around the world. To contribute go to palpresny.org home page and click on the button for Ukrainian Relief, or send a check to Palisades Presbyterian Church P.O. Box 687 Palisades, NY 10964 with Ukrainian Relief written on the check.

Another refugee relief effort started locally is truerussia.org, a fundraising partnership between Palisadian Mikhail Baryshnikov, Boris Akunin, a Russian émigré writer based in London, and Sergei Guriev, a Russian émigré economist based in Paris. They call on the Russians of the world to “prove that Putin doesn’t speak and act for all Russians.” Donations to truerussia.org are funneled through the Disasters Emergency Committee, a group of 15 UK-based charities coordinating emergency relief for victims of natural and humanitarian disasters. To date truerussia.org has raised over 1 million dollars. To donate go to truerussia.org