We can all do what Americans and Canadians do best: send money.
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| This painting has ceased to exist; it was a musing on the First Gulf War. |
Although I’m fairly ‘green’, I bought my Prius in 2005 primarily for geopolitical reasons. It had been only a few short years since 9/11. There was credible information that our oil purchases were funding jihadism. I wanted to limit the amount of money I was sending to the Middle East.
Dependency on foreign oil has been a fact of life since the
invention of the internal-combustion engine. Today it’s Europe that is suffering from the
boycott of Russian oil. I reckon that every gallon we don’t consume is a gallon
that eases pressure on European consumers.
We drive a hybrid and heat primarily with wood. We can and
will curtail unnecessary travel, but I can’t figure out how to cut our oil
consumption much further. If you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine has put paid to any idea that modern
Europeans have somehow sidestepped their bloody history. The post-Cold War
peace was illusory; it has exploded into hot conflagration.
As I write, a friend is driving to Poland to try to rescue
her cousin from the mass of refugees streaming across the border. I can’t drive
to Poland, but I can do what Americans and Canadians do best: send money.
Retired journalist Rita Truschel is the child of refugees
herself. She put together this list of organizations helping in Ukraine or for
refugees. I’ve appended Charity
Navigator ratings where appropriate. (No rating doesn’t mean the
organization is wasteful; it just means that they aren’t required to file
American tax forms.)
Children's welfare
Save the Children (91.82)
United Nations Children's Fund
(89.18)
Emergency housing
Airbnb Disaster Response (not a
charitable organization but funneling money to people on the ground)
Surplus medical supplies
Afya Foundation Disaster
Response (97)
MedWish International (100)
Medical volunteers
Doctors Without
Borders (92.25)
International
Medical Corps (83.94)
Logistics & shipping
Brother's Brother Foundation
(92.92)
Flexport (not rated)
Refugees' survival & resettlement
Catholic Relief Service
(83.94)
Canada Helps (not rated)
Canada-Ukraine Foundation (not
rated)
CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund (92.64)
International Rescue Committee
(86.92)
Lutheran World Federation (not
rated)
Sunflower of Peace (not
rated)
US-Ukraine Foundation (not
rated)
United Nations Refugee Agency
(not rated)
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| Damned if you do, damned if you don't is one of the paintings at Rye Arts Center's Censored and Poetic, which is what I should be writing about today. |
In normal times, this post would have been about the opening of Censored and Poetic tomorrow evening, so I should at least mention it. If you’re in the metro New York City area, I’d love to see you there, and if not, the event will be livestreamed here.
