Revival of Izium: How Charitable Foundations Support the Community During the War

Charitable foundations are the main way to help people suffering from the military actions of the гussian federation. Many charitable foundations operate in the city of Izium, aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to people during the war. A prominent example is the charitable foundation "Global Empowerment Mission UA" (GEM), which is dedicated to humanitarian aid for people like the residents of Izium. Many food packages, hygiene products, and other essentials have been distributed.

Here’s what the founder of the foundation, Michael Caponi, says:  

"Our main goals are to deliver the greatest amount of aid to the largest number of people in need in the shortest time possible and at the lowest cost to our donors. This also applies to our recovery efforts."  

This foundation is also launching humanitarian cash assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and providing social support.

Another well-known charitable foundation is ADRA Ukraine, which helps Ukrainians with financial assistance.

 ADRA focuses on supporting those affected by conflicts and natural disasters, internally displaced persons and their families, orphans, children in orphanages and shelters, hospital patients, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The organization pays special attention to supporting populations in crisis zones and promoting healthy lifestyle principles.

ADRA operates in over 100 countries worldwide, providing essential support and aiding those in need—regardless of their ethnicity, political beliefs, gender, or religion. This foundation has also significantly helped the residents of Izium with financial and food aid.

The cash aid program from ADRA Ukraine is in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and with support from ADRA Switzerland. The payment amount is 1800 UAH (Ukrainian Hryvnias) per person each month (these funds are provided to cover basic needs). Preliminary registration/verification occurs directly in the community to ensure targeted support.

The director of the organization, Cindy McCain, ensured that humanitarian aid reached all residents of Izium. She communicated with the ADRA Ukraine team to learn about the logistics and distribution of humanitarian aid, the specifics of cooperation with the WFP, the registration process for recipients, and targeting principles. Cindy McCain also spoke with the residents of Izium, who shared their personal stories of experiencing occupation, undergoing the war, and the role humanitarian aid plays in their lives.

This indicates that the foundation is also involved in psychological support, conducting individual and group sessions both online and offline. Doctors and psychologists have visited the city of Izium, where people sought them out for psychological help. Other foundations have provided greenhouses, blankets, cleaning supplies, tarps, and assistance in transporting bedridden patients to hospitals.

I cannot help but mention our personal experience of collaborating with charitable foundations that provided legal services. We have a house we wanted to sell, but, unfortunately, it turned out to be under arrest, so we were unable to sell it. They explained everything to us, showed the conclusions, told us what to do, what questions to ask the notary, and what documents we needed to prepare. Thanks to the volunteers' assistance, we were able to lift the arrest on the house.

We also received financial assistance of 2000 UAH from the Red Cross charity fund, but before that, we had to register and were anxious about whether our application would be considered. We waited for a call or a message about the queue to receive assistance and then took our passports, identification codes, and residency certificates to go and receive the aid at the post office.

Charitable foundations have made a crucial contribution to the lives of the people of Izium and to the life of the city. Without them, it would be even harder for people than it is now.