- DTCare in Ukraine | Emergency Response -
Emergency Relief Assistance in Ukraine
DTCare's Urgent Response and Ongoing Support for War-Torn Communities
War erupted in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded the country with a missile strike that reached as far as Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. In the days that followed, Europe’s largest refugee crisis unfolded since World War II, with millions of Ukrainians fleeing the escalating conflict and seeking safety in bordering countries. Refugee and displaced numbers vary, but an estimated 14 million Ukrainians are seeking refuge in neighboring countries, while over 6 million displaced citizens are within Ukraine. Several large cities are caught in the crossfire of Russia’s advance.
Bombs are leveling entire neighborhoods, and shelling is devastating schools and hospitals, forcing families to evacuate—of which many are women and children. Although Russia has successfully overtaken some parts of Ukraine, other large cities are holding their ground despite Russian attempts to take control and demoralize habitants. The effects of war have devastated parts of the country and ripped countless families from their homes–and lives–in Ukraine. DTCare is committed to providing critical relief and long-term support to the citizens of Ukraine in Ukraine and Poland.
Down to the
Numbers
60K+
MREs and food boxes
110K+
feminine hygiene supplies
9000+
plush and STEM toys
20K+
clothing articles and shoes
400+
pallets of medical supplies
Humanitarian Aid Delivery
DTCare Delivers Critical Aid to Ukraine During Russian Invasion
DTCare specializes in international humanitarian relief distribution and medical program implementation. We operate on four continents and provide critical support globally to civilians, veterans, and first responders. DTCare collaborates with DTGruelle, a logistics shipping company, and an extensive network of logistics experts to deliver essential humanitarian aid to remote and conflict-ridden regions. We launched our Ukrainian Crisis Relief Campaign directly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 to establish and reinforce new partnerships and provide emergency assistance. DTCare commonly transports over 20 air and ocean freight shipments internationally annually to assist vulnerable populations with medical supplies, mobility aids, educational supplies and toys, winter clothes and cold weather gear, MREs and food packs, as well as hygiene items and feminine hygiene products. DTCare has delivered extensive humanitarian aid to the citizens of Ukraine through numerous air freight and ocean freight shipments and is committed to making a positive impact over the long term.
International Shipping and Logistics
DTCare Leads the Ethical Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine
DTCare specializes in providing critical assistance to conflict and crisis areas worldwide. We arrange, store, and transport goods according to international standards, complying with customs laws in Ukraine. DTCare procures and distributes essential supplies, including medical, MREs, feminine hygiene, and hygiene items. We partner with experienced freight forwarders and international logistics experts to deliver humanitarian aid safely to Ukraine, and our distribution system is designed to ethically deliver aid based on local needs assessment. DTCare actively seeks feedback from the communities we support and adheres to strict reporting standards for accurate and transparent reporting.
International Logistics
DTCare collaborates with the logistics-based shipping company DTGruelle, which specializes in international freight forwarding, and logistics partners enables DTCare to provide critically needed support to some of the most austere and conflict-ridden parts of the world.
Warehousing and Storage
DTCare provides humanitarian logistics services and warehousing in Ukraine. With warehouse facilities in Pittsburgh, Kyiv, and Mykolaiv, DTCare can receive, store, and load cargo. Adherence to reporting standards ensures detailed tracking of supplies entering and leaving our facilities.
Customs Compliance
DTCare is enrolled in the Ukrainian customs portal. We file monthly reports based on data collected through our aid delivery tracking system. We implemented an improved tracking and distribution system in Ukraine to ensure aid is transported to groups based on local needs assessments.
Humanitarian Crisis Response
Providing Critical Relief for Displaced Ukrainians and Vulnerable Populations
In working closely with the logistics experts at DTGruelle, our US-based partners, and NGOs that are already on-ground in the affected regions, including the Ukrainian Navy, Polish Guiding & Scouting Association, Darkhorse Benefits, and the Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA, DTCare is able to send emergency relief shipments of personal- and feminine hygiene products, first-aid supplies, food, and daily essentials to support displaced Ukrainians in Poland and Ukraine. With the help of our partners, donors, and volunteers, we sent 23 humanitarian shipments (18 air freight and 5 ocean freight shipments) to Ukraine and Poland in 2022 and 16 humanitarian shipments (6 air freight and 10 ocean freight shipments) to Ukraine in 2023. In total, DTCare has sent close to a million dollars worth of over 300,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to assist Ukrainian citizens, including more than 700 emergency first-aid kits, 400 pallets of medical supplies, 110,000 feminine hygiene products, 60,000 ready-to-eat meal packs (MREs), and 9,000 toys since the war began.
IFAKs
Pallets of Medical Supplies
20,000+
9000+
Clothing Articles and Shoes
Toys
400+
700+
60,000+
110,000+
Meal Packs
Period Products
DTCare sent 47 relief shipments of over 330,000 pounds (150,000+ kilos) to aid Ukrainians to date
• 7 March 2022 - Personal care packs & feminine hygiene products to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 20 March 2022 - Personal care packs & feminine hygiene products to Lviv, Ukraine - in partnership with the ZHP
• 23 March 2022 - Ready-to-eat meal packs (MREs) to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 20 April 2022 - Medical & hygiene supplies to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP & Brother’s Brother Foundation
• 6 April 2022 - MREs & Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs) to Lublin, Poland - in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
• 11 April 2022 - Medical supplies, personal care packs, & feminine hygiene products to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 22 April 2022 - IFAK’s, MRE, hygiene-, & medical supplies to Lublin, Poland - in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
• 25 April 2022 - MREs, personal care packs, & hospital supplies to Brzeg Dolny, Poland
• 25 April 2022 - MREs, medical supplies, personal care packs, & clothes to Lublin, Poland - in partnership with the Brother’s Brother Foundation, Concordia Medical Equipment & the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
• 27 April 2022 - MREs, medical supplies, & personal care packs to Lublin, Poland - in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
• 11 May 2022 - MREs, medical supplies, & personal care packs to Lublin, Poland - in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation
• 26 July 2022 - MREs, medical supplies, personal care packs, & feminine hygiene products - in partnership with the ZHP
• 7 June 2022 - Medical supplies & personal care packs - in partnership with Ukrainian Unity & Brother’s Brother Foundation
• 8 June 2022 - MREs, personal care packs, & baby diapers to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 1 August 2022 - Medical supplies to Odesa, Ukraine - in partnership with the ZHP
• 8 August 2022 - Feminine hygiene, baby formula, toys, & first-aid supplies to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 10 August 2022 - Baby formula, first-aid, baby diapers, personal hygiene, & toys to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 2 November 2022 - Blankets, baby diapers, books, camping gear, hygiene kits, & IFAKs to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 15 November 2022 - Wipes, mobility aids, winter’s clothing, blankets, medical supplies, and hygiene supplies to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 16 November 2022 - Winter’s clothing, medical supplies, personal care packs, blankets, and art supplies to Jaroslaw, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 30 November 2022 - Holiday children’s gift boxes, winter’s shoes, and winter’s coats to Radom, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 27 December 2022 - Children’s aid and toys Radom, Poland - in partnership with the ZHP
• 29 December 2022 - Winter and thermal clothing and essentials to Warsaw, Poland - in partnership with Atlas Global Aid and the ZHP
• 11 January 2023 - RecPak meal replacement drinks - in partnership with Atlas Global Aid, RecPak, and the ZHP
• 12 January 2023 - Medical and hospital supplies - in partnership with the ZHP and Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA
• 12 January 2023 - Baby and winter supplies - in partnership with the ZHP and Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA
• 18 January 2023 - MREs - in partnership with the ZHP and Brother’s Brother
• 7 February 2023 - Winter supplies, hygiene supplies, and Liquid IV - in partnership with the ZHP
• 7 February 2023 - Medical supplies, winter supplies, and toys - in partnership with the ZHP
• 10 February 2023 - RecPak, arts and crafts supplies, and car parts - in partnership with RecPak and the ZHP
• 17 February 2023 - MREs - in partnership with the NOSU Scouts
• 9 March 2023 - MREs and children’s aid - in partnership with the Brother’s Brother Foundation, Sunflower Project, and Andreev Family Foundation
• 18 April 2023 - Medical and children’s aid - in partnership with Medicines for Ukraine
• 28 April 2023 - Adult diapers - in partnership with the Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA
• 28 April 2023 - Medical, first-aid, and mobility aid - in partnership with the Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA
• 6 July 2023 - Medical supplies, hospital furniture, children's items, and diapers - in partnership with the Sunflower Project
• 21 September 2023 - Hospital supplies and rehabilitation supplies - in partnership with the Sunflower Project
• 10 October 2023 - Hospital supplies, winter items, and over 6,000 plush toys - in partnership with the Sunflower Project and Play It Forward Pittsburgh
• 5 December 2023 - Children’s holiday shoeboxes for the festive season - in partnership with Play It Forward Pittsburgh
• 24 December 2023 - Mobility equipment, children’s items, and hospital supplies
• 7 February 2024 - Mobility equipment, children’s items, medical supplies, and 50,000 feminine hygiene products
• 1 March 2024 - Mobility equipment, children’s items, hospital supplies, incontinence products, and art therapy supplies
• 20 May 2024 - Mobility equipment, bicycles, hospital supplies, feminine hygiene supplies, incontinence products, and art therapy supplies - in partnership with Communicycle
• 16 July 2024 - Mobility equipment, bicycles, hospital supplies, incontinence products, and art therapy supplies - in partnership with Communicycle
• 5 August 2024 - Mobility equipment, hospital supplies, and prosthetics - in partnership with MESA and TMNU
• 12 August 2024 - Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)
Rapid Rescue Mission to Help Those Affected by the Kakhovka Dam Disaster
In 2023, the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine collapsed, leading to massive flooding that resulted in devastating consequences for the region. Over 42,000 people were displaced, and homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure like river beds, banks, harbors, docks, and bridges were destroyed. The dam's collapse also caused the contamination of nearby water systems with 150 tons of machine oil, which drained into the Black Sea, posing a significant threat to the population and the environment. The long-term effects of the severe flooding are expected to cause further environmental damage, such as the loss of irrigational channels and underwater farmland. To assist those most affected, the Sunflower Project and DTCare launched a Rapid Rescue Mission campaign that provided emergency assistance, including medical supplies, food, and evacuation support for people and animals.
Ukraine Kakhovka Dam Collapse
The Ukrainian Kakhovka Dam Disaster: 24,000 Acres of Farmland Underwater and Thousands of Families and Animals Displaced
The catastrophic Ukrainian Kakhovka Dam disaster in June 2023 will leave a sinister legacy in its wake for generations to come. The dam wall collapse triggered an enormous flood, devastatingly impacting the region, displacing more than 42,000 people, and demolishing houses, businesses, and other vital infrastructure, such as river beds, banks, harbors, docks, and bridges. The dam's collapse contaminated the water system nearby—a staggering 150 tons of machine oil drained into the Black Sea, posing a severe threat to the population and environment in the area. Although the destruction of people's livelihoods and homes is catastrophic in the short term, the long-term damage caused by the relentless flooding is bound to cause further environmental distress. For example, numerous fields on the cusp of a new harvest will no longer have the necessary irrigational channels, and nearly 25,000 acres of farmland in Kherson are now underwater. The wildlife in the southern region of Ukraine has been decimated, with thousands of animals killed outright and their natural habitats destroyed. Ihor Medunov, a local Ukrainian hunter and fisher who lives a little upstream of the disaster, told Los Angeles Times reporters: "The water is leaving before our eyes. Everything that was in my house, what we worked for all our lives, it's all gone. First, it drowned; then, when the water left, it rotted." (Los Angeles Times, 2023)
To help those affected by the disaster, DTCare and The Sunflower Project have launched a Rapid Rescue Mission campaign. The campaign provides emergency assistance, including medical supplies, food, and evacuation support. To support the Rapid Rescue Mission, you can click here to donate or spread the word about the campaign on social media and in your local community.
Medical Supplies for Ukrainian Hospitals
DTCare and Rotary District 6600's MESA partnership delivers life-saving supplies to those affected by conflict
Through our partnership with the Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA, DTCare continues to transport and distribute tens of thousands of critical medical supplies to hospitals, first responders, and partner groups in Ukraine to aid injured civilians and veterans.
Most notably, we work with state-run and private hospitals and clinics in the Vinnytsia, Ternopil, Chudniv, Irpin, Kherson, and Zhytomyr regions and emergency response organizations, including the Sunflower Project, Ten Men Project, and Valkyrie Rescue to provide essential and life-saving supplies to hospitals desperate for supplies and populations most affected by the conflict.
To date, DTCare successfully sent and distributed 46 relief cargoes to Ukraine and Poland of over 300,000 pounds of hospital supplies, mobility aids, child and school supplies, and food aid to assist IDPs and other vulnerable communities across Ukraine and refugees in Poland.
Ukraine Children’s Aid
Joining Forces for Ukraine's Children: How DTCare and Partner Organizations are Making a Difference
Before the war, Ukraine had an estimated 91,000 children in institutional orphanages, and authorities are still working to determine how much that number has climbed to date, reported the New York Times. However, what is apparent is that additional support for children, parents, foster homes, orphanages, and hospitals is vital as the conflict continues to displace Ukrainian children. DTCare is working alongside Ukrainian healthcare providers and nonprofit organizations to provide aid and support to children in Ukraine.
By joining forces with the Polish Scouting & Guiding Association, Care in Action, The Sunflower Project, Sal's Shoes, and Andreev Family Foundation DTCare sent over 1,196 pairs of shoes, hundreds of winter essentials, arts and crafts supplies, toys, and first-aid supplies to help children in Ukraine and Poland. We proudly continue to work alongside The Sunflower Project and Care in Action in Ukraine to distribute aid to isolated hard-to-reach towns most impacted by the ongoing conflict and destruction. Critically needed supplies are distributed quickly and effectively through their combined extensive network of orphanages, foster homes, and IDP centers to help Ukrainian children and their caregivers.
Hunger Relief
Hunger Rises As Conflict Ravages Ukraine
As the war devastates towns, damages infrastructure, and disrupts supply chains, families face hunger resulting from a shortage of nutritious food. One in three families in Ukraine is hungry, found the WFP USA. DTCare is helping to curb the hunger crisis in two ways: purchasing fresh food and cooking supplies and shipping thousands of ready-to-eat meals (MREs) for distribution through our extensive partner network to communities in Ukraine. We work with notable partners on the ground that share our commitment to providing support and aid in towns and regions most impacted by the conflict. Since the war broke out, DTCare has successfully shipped and distributed over 31,000 meal packs to communities in need by joining forces with Darkhorse Benefits, Brother's Bother, RecPak, and many more.
Our generous donors also enable us to send financial assistance to our teams in Ukraine to purchase and distribute fresh products in-country to help communities facing hunger while supporting local economies. DTCare works alongside The Sunflower Project to distribute food and medical supplies to dangerous, hard-to-reach towns where Ukrainians are cut off from basic resources and need urgent aid. On January 16, 2023, DTCare donated $1,000 to The Sunflower Project for an emergency food and medical supply trip to a remote town outside Nykoliave, Ukraine. The Sunflower Project purchased food staples and first-aid supplies to aid 57 adults and 13 children who have been stranded without aid since November of 2022, resulting from persistent conflict and severe road damage in the region. Some of the supplies distributed to families included meat and proteins, fresh produce, tea and coffee, canned foods, potatoes, hygiene items, and cold and flu medicine. With the ongoing support of our donors and the logistical and technical expertise of our partners, more than 60 Ukrainians received critically needed food and medical assistance.
Fostering Education and Safety Amongst Youth
Youth Protection: Arming Ukrainian Educators with Lifesaving Wound Training as Russia's Advancement Brings Danger
Youth are the cornerstone of our society. We want to help protect them, their teachers, and the communities that help them grow and thrive. Over 1,000 Ukrainian children have been killed or injured as Russia's advance persists. Russia is targeting centers of urban life, leading to the destruction of schools and hospitals.
To foster education and safety amongst Ukrainian youth, DTCare is committed to providing tactical training on gunshot wound care to educators and community groups in partnership with Darkhorse Benefits. As part of this aim, DTCare trained educators at the International Humanitarian University and NOSU Scouts on the essential measures to help a gunshot victim.
The training ranged from how to apply and use a tourniquet to clotting wounds for bleeding control. The emergency wound care measures were taught with a hardcopy safety guide and realistic demonstrations utilizing training arms (provided to DTCare in kind by Clear Ballistics) that mimic tissue and simulate a gunshot wound to give participants an idea of what to expect in a real-life situation. Participants received a certificate of completion from Darkhorse Benefits at the end of the training.
Knowing how to treat a gunshot wound can save lives. With Russia targeting civilian epicenters, it is critical that teachers and community groups, the custodians of younger generations, know how to protect and help the wounded when an emergency strikes.
Rebuilding Initiatives
Direct Family Assistance and Safe Centers: Rebuilding Homes and Communities in Ukraine Amidst War and Beyond
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on both its people and infrastructure. To support the rebuilding efforts, DTCare's Direct Family Assistance Initiative (DFAI) has allocated funds to aid individuals in the Kyiv region in repairing their homes damaged during the war. This crucial initiative not only provides financial support but also instills a sense of security and stability for families affected by the conflict. Furthermore, in 2023, DTCare received a generous grant to construct a Community Safe Center in Mykolaiv oblast. This center will serve as a shelter for the community and offer vital resources and services to those in need. Through these dedicated efforts, DTCare is actively striving towards rebuilding and revitalizing communities in Ukraine.
Local and Global Partnerships
The outflux of refugees as families fled their homes to escape the Russian advance, called for an emergency response. The war impacted traditional distribution channels in and around Ukraine, complicating how DTCare and organizations worldwide could distribute critically needed supplies to displaced citizens. That is why DTCare’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Campaign began by forming essential alliances with organizations in the United States, Poland, and Ukraine to help us collect and distribute humanitarian aid directly into the hands of Ukrainian citizens in urgent need. DTCare’s partnerships with the ZHP (Polish Scouting & Guiding Organization), Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Darkhorse Benefits, Buffalo Cartridge Company & Project HelpNOW, Concordia Medical Equipment, and the Rotary District 6600’s international arm MESA, enable our efforts to send thousands of supplies from donors in the United States directly to collection points in Poland and Ukraine from where the supplies are distributed to groups and communities in need.
A Special Thank You to DTCare from the Polish Scouting & Guiding Association
When war erupted in Ukraine the biggest challenge DTCare faced was securing reliable passage for urgent aid delivery. The Polish Scouting & Guiding Association (ZHP) has been an essential partner on the ground receiving and distributing supplies directly into the hands of displaced Ukrainians. DTCare would like to thank the ZHP for an incredible partnership that has enabled us to provide multiple shipments of critical support to Ukrainians in need in Poland and Ukraine. In times of crisis, there is often an underlying concern that the donations made to help never reach those most impacted. For the DTCare team, personal thank you’s from the groups we work with serve as a reminder of how our relief effort to aid Ukrainians makes a real impact, and how the community’s generous donations and continued support are appreciated and absolutely essential. With the help of our regional partners, DTCare has sent 16 shipments of hygiene items, ready-to-eat meals, daily essentials, feminine hygiene products, and first-aid and medical supplies to Poland and Ukraine to aid displaced Ukrainians.
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