GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Tuesday marked the start of a two-week collection to send supplies to the people of Ukraine.
The Green Bay Ukrainian-American community is partnering with Meest Chicago Shipping LLC to send humanitarian aid and basic military supplies to Ukraine to fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression.
All the donated items will be trucked by a volunteer from Green Bay to Chicago. From Chicago, Meest will fly the donations to Poland and truck them into Ukraine, along with other companies on a humanitarian mission, and distribute them to relevant relief organizations.
Click here to see a list of items needed for donation
Items include non-perishable food, clothes for men, women and children, hygiene products, blankets, standalone lamps, protective military gear and bandages.
Tanya Sushkova, one of the organizers, was born and raised in Ukraine.
“I moved here about 20 years ago with my family, so like I said I’m originally from Ukraine and I’ve been living in Green Bay for about 19 years now. Just seeing what is happening there is just devastating to me.”
Sushkova still has family and friends living there.
“Literally just breaks my heart. Like I said, I am here safe and sound and just seeing my friends there or just hiding, no electricity, no water, it’s just I’m speechless.”
Val Tereshchenko is another organizer.
“Trying to get some goods and some money, some funds raised for helping out people of Ukraine. Civilians, who are basically lots of them living in basements right now, who are displaced, who are living in the bomb shelters for the last four or five days.”
Tereshchenko moved to the United States when he was 21, but his parents, sister, and nephew still live in Ukraine.
“It’s tremendously hard. It’s really difficult to see what’s happening, to try to think what could happen.”
Tereshchenko tells FOX 11 the community has been supportive, and many businesses and community members have asked about ways to help.
“Really appreciate all the help we can get right now. It’s all for a good cause. We’d rather not have this cause, but we just need to get together and get united, be united, stay safe together, pray for Ukraine.”
You can donate to this cause in three ways:
Send your donated items directly to Meest Chicago where the items will be packaged and shipped along with other donations:
Meest Chicago Shipping
Help Ukraine
820 Ridge Ave.
UNIT J
Chicago, IL 60148
Drop your donated items off at a number of Green Bay locations. Volunteers will then truck these items down to Chicago.
Click here to see the drop-off locations.
Donate cash to Cornerstone Mortgage, at 1494 Mid Valley Drive in De Pere. Cornerstone is matching cash donations up to $3,000.
The drive ends March 14.
Officials say Meest has been shipping items to Ukraine for more than 20 years.
