Is it better to give money to Ukraine

We have given tins of food with pull caps and cereal bars and coats but it is all organised to be distributed by the church.

Money to central charities must be better for collective spending but we were doing what we could locally and I suppose some local people cannot send money. I don't even mind if the food i bought went to local hungry people either fwiw

Definitely money, nearly all of the charities have now issued media posts saying that they need to spend time on the ground, rather than sorting out the donations.

I've heard quite a lot of people on the news in the past few days saying that for the people who have managed to cross into Poland money is of more use because they can then shop for the things they need.

Has anyone seen the mountains of clothes/ bedding etc left out in the snow and rain at some of the borders ?
All donated with a good heart but what a terrible waste.

I read this earlier so copied and pasted;

Huge piles of donated clothes for refugees have been left dumped in a car park on Poland's border with Ukraine as aid workers have pleaded with the public to send money or essential supplies instead.
Arriving on foot out of war torn Ukraine, refugees hoping to get to their final destination, do not need clothes, aid workers have said. They are put on buses so have no time to sort through mounds of clothes ........

Our local collection point is turning away anymore clothing, food, medical donations and asking for money only.

I’ve donated money to a charity and also money to an animal charity in the hope that some of the abandoned pets can be looked after.

Initially I gave nappies, tampons, soap and toothpaste (all items requested) because the people collecting had contacts with those helping refugees and had asked for these items and they were delivered direct. Now I donate money

I donated money, then took a box of the items requested to our Ukrainian centre. Now we will donate cash again.
It isn’t difficult to understand the need to go through all items of donated clothes, many of which are sadly unfit for donation. Then the cost of the huge transporters needed to take the donations to the borders

Our book club was discussing this last night. Local people have organised collections for clothes and toys only to find it isn't what the refugees really need. It seems best to go through a proper agency asking for specific items or donate money.

The logistics alone of getting random“things” out there negates the value of the donation.
I am beginning to think that the people who start organising things like this are doing it for the perceived glory and to publicise it on social media.

Sardis, those items may benefit your local refugee support team.
Esspee, why assume that the kind people in Sarnia’s book group, like thousands of others trying to do something positive for Ukrainian refugees are looking for glory

I have done both. I gave to a charity I trust. I know people are saying items are getting wasted but the last time I gave to one of the major charities of this type their staff were abusing the vulnerable women of the country they were supposed to help. I considered that a waste of my money to put it mildly.

Of course we must give money but what really worries me is how the funds for Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and any other disaster that may occur, will go down
When the Syrian refugee problem hit the headlines so violently I organised and collected for three years, medical equipment clothes, blankets toys etc etc and these went straight to the refugee camps in big convoys of lorries which is very different to them all piling up on train /bus stations platforms etc just getting wet and completely useless

So please stick to what we ve been asked for …money not goods

At our collection point they stressed NO CLOTHES. We took food items, baby products, toiletries and basic medicines. It is hard to know what to do but we feel we have to do something.

In response to the Ukraine situation, Tesco recently added the British Red Cross to its partner scheme.
You can now donate the value of your clubcard vouchers to them.

While I don't imagine that all the money donated this way will go to that particular cause, it is still a very worthy charity, and perhaps an option worth considering if you want to help but don't feel you are in a position to donate actual money, but could perhaps stretch to giving some of this 'virtual' money without missing it too badly.

I think giving money is the most effective way to help, but that doesn't mean that many of the goods collected haven't helped,
they will have been put to good use. But I know from experience that money is more useful.

Unsolicited truck deliveries, including those that don't have the correct paperwork completed seem to be holding up things at the borders and putting pressure on transport networks.

Also some people seem to be using collection points to get rid of their rubbish. Rescue workers out on the front really don't have time to sort through soiled clothes and dirty blankets etc

It's very much horses for courses. I understand people wanting to donate physical things it feels as if you're doing more than just putting your hand in your pocket. A friend said as she can't afford much in the way of a financial contribution she'd rather buy a few bits to donate. I prefer to make a financial contribution because the charities on the ground know the latest situation and what is needed. And of course large scale purchasing power can be most cost effective.