The people of Ukraine urgently need your help. In the early hours of Feb. 24, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine by land, sea and air. In the days since, Russia's military forces have bombarded civilian and military targets alike, including the capital city of Kyiv.

Thousands of civilians have already been killed. More than a million people have fled into neighbouring countries, leaving their homes, lives and loved ones behind.

You can help today. Donate to Mennonite Central Committee’s Ukraine appeal.

By donating to MCC, you're helping meet the needs of the people on the ground in Ukraine. MCC partners are already providing supplies like food, fuel, medication, mattresses and diapers to people in need. And they’re working to assess the situation and scale up their work.

"MCC has remarkable partners in Ukraine,” says MCC Canada Executive Director Rick Cober Bauman. “In the midst of horrific violence, there are remarkable stories of hope and generosity as neighbours reach out to neighbours with comfort. We are deeply committed to resourcing those acts of hope, and we need the generous gifts of donors for those acts of kindness to grow into a full-scale humanitarian response. We are so grateful that you choose to share with our Ukrainian neighbours through MCC."

A mother and her son received canned meat, comforters and other relief supplies from an MCC partner in Nikopol, Ukraine. In partnership with MCC, the organization offers support like food, school kits, medical accompaniment and legal counsel to those in difficult life circumstances. The name of MCC’s partner in this work and the names of the people pictured are not provided for security reasons. (MCC partner photo)

Before the crisis began, MCC's work in Ukraine included projects in relief, peace, health, education, sustainable livelihoods and peacebuilding. MCC’s local partners are continuing to support and care for vulnerable people during this incredibly stressful and challenging time. Your generosity today will provide support like emergency housing, food, blankets and trauma counselling for children and adults.

Maxym Oliferovski, a leader of an MCC partner in Ukraine, has chosen to stay in the southeastern part of the country with his wife. He spoke to MCC about the conditions they're facing as the battle lines move ever closer to them. But their resolve to care for their neighbours is still strong.

"You hear sirens. You see the neighbours going up and down into bomb shelters. You hear all the news," says Oliferovski. "But at the same time, we were thinking: okay, how can we help the families, our neighbours, church members? So, we purchased some food ahead of time and we made food kits. The first day, we distributed the food kits because we don't know how long the stores would work."

Maxym Oliferovski, a leader of an MCC partner in Ukraine, and his wife, Anya, have chosen to stay in their city to help anyone they can by buying and making food kits for their neighbours and other vulnerable people. (2019) (MCC photo)

MCC will be working with local partners to scale up existing programs that support vulnerable people and extending those services to internally displaced populations. And MCC advocacy offices continue to press Canadian and U.S. governments for non-military support for peacebuilding around the world.

To donate in support of MCC's Ukraine response, visit donate.mcccanada.ca/ukraine.