BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Helping people in crisis, that’s what one local organization is trying to do, along with a woman who is far away from home, trying to help her country.
“It feels like a long dream and I’m trying to wake up and I can't.”
That’s Elena Schafer, or Miss Elena as her elementary students at Valley Montessori Academy call her. She’s a proud Ukrainian who says her heart is broken.
“It’s devastating to see my country hurt, and because I’m here and I can’t go over there, it makes it harder because all my family is there.”
Schafer is doing all she can right here from her home in Bakersfield, to help those who are hurting.
Valley Montessori Academy is organizing a donation drive to collect baby formula and medication for children to send to Ukraine.
“To help little babies and moms who are right now in some of the cities that have been bombed. They’re staying in the basements where they give birth and stay with the babies. I can't even imagine the pain and the fear.”
The supplies collected through the donation drive will be taken, packed, and then put on a plane in Orange County where they’ll go to Poland, and then transported to residents in Ukraine.
“It does make a difference because this is the least we can do.”
If you’ve driven down Truxtun, you may have seen the county administrative building which is lit up in blue and yellow, to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
“We are just so proud as a county to make a gesture to show our support during this challenging time.” Ally Soper with the county said it all started as a call from the community.
“A resident did reach out to us on our generic Kern County email and wondered if we were going to be doing anything to show our solidarity with Ukraine, and actually suggested lighting up the building.”
Schafer said she is grateful and overwhelmed with all the support she is receiving personally and also to her country and said her work will continue.
“We’ll be helping all the way, as much as needed. We’ll be organizing donation centers and we’ll be helping. Thank you so very much again.”
Valley Montessori Academy on Venture Wy is collecting donations till 3 p.m. Friday evening.
23ABC In-Depth
Meanwhile, you can also help by donating to several different national organizations as well. 23ABC took a deeper look at the website CharityNavigator.org and found a list of trusted organizations for you.
Charity Navigator compiled a list of more than 30 highly-rated nonprofits already engaged in relief and recovery efforts in Ukraine and the surrounding areas.
They are broken down by categories, ranging from medical services to long-term assistance and housing.
Some of the organizations include Heart to Heart International, Project Hope, and Action-Aid USA.
Other organizations:
Medical Services
- International Medical Corps
- UNICEF USA
- Handicap International, dba Humanity & Inclusion
- Heart to Heart International
- World Vision
- Mercy Corps
Medical Supplies
- Handicap International, dba Humanity & Inclusion
- Operation USA
- UNICEF USA
- World Vision
- Direct Relief
- Project C.U.R.E.
- Project HOPE
- Heart to Heart International
- Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee)
- Americares
- MAP International
- MedShare
Non-Medical Supplies
- World Hope International
- MedShare
- Good360
- ActionAid USA
- UNICEF USA
- World Help
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
- Operation USA
- GlobalGiving
- Save the Children
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- Matthew 25: Ministries
- Americares
- Project HOPE
- ShelterBox USA
- Catholic Relief Services
- Operation Blessing International
- Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee)
- Mercy Corps
- International Relief Teams
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
- Convoy of Hope
- International Relief Teams
- Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee)
- World Hope International
- World Vision
- Catholic Relief Services
- UNICEF USA
- Water Mission
- World Help
- ActionAid USA
- Heart to Heart International
- Save the Children
- GlobalGiving
- Operation Blessing International
- ShelterBox USA
Emergency Housing
- Islamic Relief USA
- GlobalGiving
- Catholic Relief Services
- UNICEF USA
- World Help
- Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee)
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
- World Vision
- A Chance In Life
- ShelterBox USA
Long-Term Assistance
- Save the Children
- Operation Blessing International
- Center for Disaster Philanthropy
- Catholic Relief Services
- World Help
Other (inc. cash/cash vouchers, logistic supply, animals)
- Samaritan's Purse
- Church World Service
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
- Americares
- UNICEF USA
- ActionAid USA
- Islamic Relief USA
- ShelterBox USA
- World Vision
- Save the Children
- Heart to Heart International
- Humane Society International