Since the war in Ukraine began, I have paused all of my work activities to focus on helping. I am retroactively and currently posting updates to my blog for people who are following and supporting my efforts.
This was sent from a business school friend to some of our classmates on March 5.
We’re all I think pretty much in shock; I’m doing lots of organization but also I’m sitting here on Zooms all day, 6 hours’ drive from the border, and they really need all the supplies they can get. For the drive itself, he’s the plan:
-I realized my Passat has a hidden trailer hitch so rented a trailer as this way I can bring people back with me vs in a cargo van
-Monday, fill the trailer with needed supplies that I will buy at Metro (like Costco)
-Tuesday morning, drive to Slovak/Ukrainian border
-Drive back same day if co-driver, sleep over in car and drive back next day if no co-driver
Shopping list: diapers, meds, iodine pills, first aid stuff, sleeping bags, power banks. I’m working through a board member of the main hospital here in Vienna to see if we can get large volumes of more serious meds.
I have friends driving from Amsterdam as we speak to the border and they are going to connect me to their people there on the ground and update on anything else that’s especially needed. Also coordinating with my Ukrainian friend Anastasia on trying to get some of the more military stuff through—kevlar, helmets, generators, but this will take a minute. If you want a great source for how to help in real time, check out her linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasiadrey/
I'll likely do multiple runs if useful. To finally answer your question Bruce, literally anything is helpful. I’m just going to show up and fill 20 shopping carts or whatever the trailer takes and hit the road.
Big help would be to share this in Canada as well: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate-to-ukraine/
Thanks guys.
Ryan
How to Help
Cash, direct to Ryan for immediate use on the ground, via interact e-transfer or paypal at rglittle -at- gmail.com
Contact me directly if you or anyone you know can help charter planes to Canada (think sports teams, bands)
If you’d rather donate to Canadian charities, some friends and me have hand-selected 4 and set up a fundraising page at CanadaHelps