Ukraine Disaster and Refugee Relief Updates

Mar 8, 2022

Please visit the main Ukraine Disaster and Refugee Relief page for up to date information, news links, photos and more regarding The Salvation Army's relief efforts in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Read previously reported updates below. 

Updates From April 4, 2022

Moldova

"Dennis, age 6, and his friends are Ukrainian refugees sheltered at The Salvation Army Eastern European Territorial Headquarters in Chisinau, Moldova. The territorial headquarters houses up to seven families at a time, providing private rooms, as well as kitchen and laundry facilities. An estimated seventy-five percent of Ukrainian refugees in Moldova are sheltered by private individuals or houses of worship. If placed in a public shelter, the refugee populations average into the hundreds.”

“Three Ukrainian women with five children among them are sheltered at the Laloveni Corps outside of Chisinau, Moldova. Their hope is not to immigrate to the European Union, but to return home to their families in the Ukraine. Their husbands and sons over eighteen could not leave their country at this critical time. In Moldova, there are over 100,000 women and children in transition, held in limbo for an unknown amount of time with limited support.

Updates From March 15, 2022

Moldova

With increasing numbers of families and individuals crossing the border, The Salvation Army has been working to find accommodations for those displaced refugees. Over 250 refugees have been accommodated overnight and have been supported during their stay with meals, hygiene packs, pillows, linens, and more. The team in Moldova has been able to send urgently needed medical items across the border where a team from Ukraine transported the supplies to a children’s intensive care unit in Odessa. The Salvation Army also works in coordination with the ‘Centre For Refugees Reception’ in the village of Mikhailany in the Ryshkansky district.

Updates from March 7 - March 13, 2022

Ukraine

  • In Dnipro the Salvation Army prepared sweet pies and distributed them to displaced people. In Lviv the Salvation Army stocked up their supplies and shared their contact details on social media etc. in order for displaced people to get in touch and receive the most essential items.

Romania

  • Tens of thousands of refugees passed through the Siret swamp in Romania, The Salvation Army emergency team offered help to complete asylum seekers documents, gave advise how to obtain biometric ID documents, assisted with family reunifications with family members waiting outside the camp and coordinated the needs for and distribution of relief material and other support with the other stakeholders.

Moldova

  • During the time of the humanitarian corridor the Salvation Army team in Moldova managed to send urgently needed medical items across the border where a team from Ukraine received it and transported it to a children‘s intensive care unit in Odessa. The Salvation Army works in coordination with the ‘Centre For Refugees Reception’ in the village of Mikhailany in the Ryshkansky district

Poland

  • The regional officers and corps officers in Warsaw together with International Emergency Service were able to bring much needed supplies to a Warsaw reception centre late Saturday evening. The sign in Ukrainian reads: "Welcome, free food for all". Partnerships are proving key to meeting human needs!

Russia

  • The Salvation Army in Russia responds to the needs of displaced people by providing food, hygiene, and other relief items. To date there are over 60,000 displaced people in the southern part of Russia.

Slovakia

  • A plan of action in preparation for accommodation, material needs, and emotional support has been formulated. An emergency response team consisting of representatives from Slovakia and Czech Republic has commenced and will meet on a regular basis.

Czech Republic

  • Czech Republic is already home to some 200,000 Ukrainians and therefore anticipates many refugees who will seek support from family and friends in Czech Republic. The Salvation Army has available capacity in the existing social services in Czech Republic and stand ready to provide support without impacting on the existing client base.

Updates from February 28 - March 6, 2022

Ukraine

  • People are coming to the corps and corps officers houses for shelter. They are providing food, and other necessities.
  • There was a call to Divisional leaders regarding 22 babies born in the subway in Kiev and we provided diapers, formula and hygiene products to the women. Women are giving birth prematurely because of the stress they are under.
  • In Vinitsa the corps prepared 17 places in the Corp Building and 17 in the quarters for internally displaced people.
  • Concerns around food supplies as distribution lines have been disrupted
  • Money has been sent from Rapid Response Emergency Project

Update as of 3/4/2022

Romania

  • Made contact with government and other agencies and are assisting with refugee camp. They are going in teams for 6 hour shifts.
  • Teams are also going to the north of the country in small teams to assist.
  • The Divisional AHT has assisted 3 cases of human trafficking and working with the authorities in the prevention of human trafficking.
  • There is increasing numbers coming across the border into Romania.
  • Rapid Response project has been sent and hopefully money will be sent soon.
  • The Division assisted a lady from Bucharest to the Ukraine Border with the help of other agencies where she crossed and met her 12-year daughter who was in Ukraine alone and then came back to Romania. They are safe and well.

Update as of 3/4/2022

Moldova

  • Increased numbers coming across the border.
  • All hotels and other accommodation is now full and hard to find.
  • Corps and other Salvation Army units are accommodating people; this week they have 288 people accommodated overnight (this includes meals and hygiene packs given during stay). The Division has distributed 500 food parcels. Pillows, linen, blankets and hygiene packs have also given to those who need.\
  • Rapid Response project has been sent and hopefully money will be sent soon.
  • Food and baby items (such as formula, diapers, clothes) were taken to the border for children’s hospital in Odessa. Ukraine military helped take the items from the boarder to hospital.

Update as of 3/4/2022

Poland

The Salvation Army is currently preparing relief parcels for Ukrainian refugees coming into the country. The Salvation Army's International Emergency Services leads from International Headquarters will travel there in a couple of days to work with the colleagues on the ground on a strategic plan for the response.

Update as of 2/28/2022

Russia

To date there are over 60,000 displaced people in the southern part of Russia. The Salvation Army responds to their needs by providing food, hygiene and other relief items.

Update as of 2/28/2022

Slovakia

Major Joseph Knoflicek, the Divisional Commander, will be traveling with a colleague to a town 50 km’s from the Ukraine border to access the situation. A plan of action in preparation for accommodation, material needs and emotional support has been formulated. An emergency response team consisting of representatives from Slovakia and Czech Republic has commenced and will meet together on a regular basis.

Update as of 2/28/2022

Czech Republic

Czech Republic is already home to some 200,000 Ukrainians and therefore anticipates many refugees who will seek support from family and friends in Czech Republic. The Salvation Army has available capacity in the existing social services in Czech Republic so they stand ready to provide support without impacting on the existing client base.

Update as of 2/28/2022