Donations for the Ukraine in Ulm and the surrounding area – money or donations in kind make sense?

Diapers, drinks, bandages: In many towns and communities in the Ulm/Neu-Ulm region, private initiatives and organizations have been collecting for days donations in kind for the people of Ukraine. “The willingness to donate is amazing,” says Carola Lo Cicero from “Heart for Life” in Send. The non-profit association has converted the living room and garden of its chairpersons into temporary storage – but it no longer accepts all kinds of donations.

The Ukrainian community in Neu-Ulm, with which one works, can only do that medical material to Ukraine, says Lo Cicero. Volunteers are now sorting the donations, and “Heart for Life” buys materials for operations itself. It is important to the club chairman that the supplies straight to Ukraine reach. Because it can be heard from specialist circles that by no means all things that arrive in the border regions are actually needed.

Aid organizations collect donations

while the civil society in the Ulm area mainly collects donations in kind aid organizations to donations of money. “We know that medicines and food are currently available in Poland and Ukraine,” says Alexandra Stork, regional manager of Caritas Ulm-Alb-Donau. The disaster network Caritas Germany has been active in Ukraine since 2014 and offers, among other things, warm meals, blankets and psychological care. According to Stork must therefore currently no new logistics set up for aid deliveries.

“Donations in kind involve a great deal of administration and transport,” says the regional manager, who also believes that the great need makes various responses necessary: ​​”There’s a lot to be said for it.” With civil society commitment, you can help quickly and unbureaucratically. In the long run, however, the intensive commitment pushes people to their limits.

The Ulm district association of the German Red Cross (DRK) also has on his website for donations called. When asked, it was said that they were happy “regarding the great willingness to help of the local population”. With financial donations, “centrally coordinated assistance coordinated with the local Red Cross societies is possible”. A convoy left the DRK logistics center in Schönefeld on Tuesday – with 88 tons of relief supplies.

District of Neu-Ulm: Anyone who wants to help can contact the district office

The district office of Neu-Ulm has set up a central contact point for citizens who want to support Ukrainian refugees or people in the war zone. Interested parties can send an email to [email protected]. Due to the great commitment of the population, the processing of e-mail inquiries may take some time, according to the district office.

“Cash donations are better than donations in kind”

According to this newspaper, the DRK General Secretariat in Berlin warned in a situation report that well-intentioned but uncoordinated aid supplies might fill warehouses and tie up transport capacities. This hinders the humanitarian work on site.

The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) is just as clear: “Monetary donations are better than donations in kind,” they say in an information sheet from the institute. The reason: the money might be “used more flexibly and efficiently”. Because with donations, aid organizations can, for example, target large orders give up and don’t have to sort through many small donations. According to the DZI, material goods should therefore only be donated “if those affected and reputable organizations specifically ask for them”.

The outgoing Liqui-Moly Managing Director Ernst Prost has also called for monetary donations. “We cannot endure this unspeakable human suffering and want to help where we can,” Prost said at the beginning of the week. Among other things, the donation money will be used to: bandages, medicines and food be bought. “We bring the relief supplies to where they are needed. In the middle of the war zone.”

Tips: What to look out for when donating

The men’s group of the evangelical churches in Dietenheim and Illertissen is meanwhile collecting donations in kind Refugee camp in Poland should be brought – in coordination with the refugee agency of the United Nations. “You can currently get further with donations in kind from people than if you walk around with a money box or call for financial donations,” says organizer Willy Paal. “Because there have unfortunately been so many scandals.” The DZI provides information in his information sheet therefore also through trustworthy aid organizations and there Tips on how to donate safely.

So that no rubbish is transported to Poland, the men’s group has drawn up a list of desired donations. Food is not included. Clothing should only be donated if it is in such good condition that the donors would wear it themselves.

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