Convoy of Hope provides relief in Poland

Local humanitarian group assists Ukrainians with long-term response
 
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, Feb. 24, about 1.5 million people, mostly women and children, have fled the country to seek safety, with about half of them taking refuge in Poland, which neighbors Ukraine. Many of those fleeing have only been able to bring a few possession with them and are in need of many basic living items.

COH working with their established partners in Poland
As the number of refugees arriving in Poland continues to climb, Republic-based Convoy of Hope is working to provide them with food, shelter and more. A team of four people from the humanitarian organization arrived in Poland on Thursday, March 4, and have begun coordinating relief efforts with Convoy’s established partners there.
“Their job is to facilitate and manage our distributions, as well as buy new supplies from different areas of Poland and the European Union and then ship it to where refugees are gathering,” said Ethan Forhetz, Convoy’s national spokesman and vice-president of public engagement. “When it comes to volunteers, we are working with various partner organizations and churches throughout the region.”
Forhetz said Convoy sent its team to Poland not only because that is where most of the refugees are, but also because they have a network of partner organizations there already, including churches and community centers, which allows them to quickly get supplies to those in need.
“Convoy of Hope has been working with partners there for years,” he said, “so we have established relationships that allow us to get the relief supplies to the people who need them as quickly as possible.”

Convoy provides refugees with essential supplies, planning “long-term response”
Forhetz described the supplies to refugees as “the essentials.”
“Refugees need the basics,” he said. “Many of them left with only one suitcase so they have some clothes and some hygiene items. What they need -- and what Convoy is working to provide -- are the essentials: food, water, hygiene items, especially feminine hygiene items since many of the refugees are women. (The men have stayed behind to fight). Many women also have young children, so we are helping with baby items … like diapers. Convoy is also helping supply some medical items that people need.”
At present, Forhetz said, Convoy is planning a “long-term response” to the humanitarian crisis.
“It's difficult to say how long Convoy will be on the ground near Ukraine because the war is literally still happening; the disaster is not over yet,” he said. “But Convoy is looking at this as a long-term response.”

Ukraine not the only place where relief is needed
Forhetz also said that while the situation in Ukraine has the attention of most of the world right now, it is not the only place where there is a crisis.
“The war in Ukraine is currently the biggest crisis Convoy of Hope is responding to right now, but it's not the only one,” he said. “Convoy continues to provide long-term recovery help to people in Kentucky following the December tornadoes; Convoy is also working to help people long-term in Louisiana following Hurricane Ida. In addition, Convoy is providing relief supplies in Guatemala following the recent earthquake, in Brazil following flooding, and we're sending a team to Australia to help after flooding, so it is a very busy time.”

Info box:
More information on COH’s humanitarian efforts in Poland, including ways to help, can be found at the Convoy of Hope website, located online at www.convoyofhope.org.