Collecting for Ukraine: Summer fashion doesn't belong in donations

The reactions of many people in Hesse to the war in Ukraine are a little reminiscent of summer 2015, when suddenly everyone wanted to help.

Food and clothing donations, toys and medicines are collected and urgent private transport trips are organised.

People have come together several times at Frankfurt's Hauptwache to hand in and pack donations in kind that are to be taken to the Ukrainian border.

Others drove off spontaneously, loaded the car with hastily collected food, hygiene items or clothing.

Professionals from large aid organizations with years of experience in war and crisis zones see such actions with mixed feelings.

"In such crises and wars, it is very important to have good, long-term experience," says Silvia Holten, spokeswoman for World Vision.

“The willingness to help in relation to the Ukraine crisis is enormous.

That is very commendable.

It is good when individuals who, for example, have relatives in Ukraine or who have fled take care of them.”

Material donations cause high costs

There is a risk of chaos when individuals set off to distribute clothing and other goods.

According to Holten, many of those who simply set off do not, in their opinion, know the needs of the refugees.

In addition, donations in kind and material cause high costs, for example for transport.

In their experience, many also underestimate the lengthy customs clearance process in the destination country.

"In the case of medicines, for example, special regulations apply with regard to quality."

Interior Minister Peter Beuth is also impressed by the willingness of the Hessians to help.

In an interview in the current FAS, however, he points out: "We now have to see how the help can be organized effectively.

The large aid organizations are already asking that donations be limited to monetary donations, because otherwise it would make it logistically difficult to transport and store essential items.” Under certain conditions, private commitment is an enormous support.

“If there is a structure, such as a partner city in the Ukraine or in Poland, and it is guaranteed that the donations in kind can be taken there directly, then that is of course also helpful.

But the channels of the big aid organizations should be kept free for that

Helpful website of the state of Hesse

The Ministry of the Interior has at

launched a website in order to make a contribution to humanitarian aid for people in the war region "as quickly as possible and in coordination with the federal government".

On this page, the state provides information for all people in Hesse who were directly or indirectly affected by the war.

Organizations that have set up donation accounts for the people of Ukraine are listed under the menu item "Possible Support".

Many people connected via social media to help those who are being taken from their homes.

Marlene Haagen from Bad Vilbel also set out to collect donations from friends in Frankfurt and Mainz.

"You can't remain neutral with something like this," she explains her spontaneous action.

Bringing donations, taking refugees from the border to a safe place, that's how she sees her mission.

Pictures from Poland show that some private donations are “well intentioned”, but not automatically “well thought”.

You can see large plastic bags piling up in front of temporary facilities.

Among the clothing donations being sorted are short skirts and light summer clothing - not exactly appropriate for the current temperatures.

Ukrainian Red Cross at capacity

"By doing so, you are not helping, but rather hindering the humanitarian work on site," says Gisela Prellwitz, spokeswoman for the DRK state association in Wiesbaden.

The centers of the Polish and Ukrainian Red Cross have already pointed out that there is no capacity whatsoever to accept unsolicited aid deliveries and offers of support.

"Uncoordinated deliveries block the already heavily used logistics and assistance structures and lead to an infarction of vital supply lines." Monetary donations, which may appear impersonal to many, can be used more flexibly and efficiently than donations in kind.

This flexibility is necessary in a situation that is constantly changing.

Another form of help is medical support.

So the Veritas ambulance sent out a large-capacity ambulance on Thursday.

The bus has space for at least six patients.

A list of the aid organizations

in the Rhine-Main area that are asking for monetary or material donations, as well as addresses that people who want to make housing available, can be found here.