Stories

Doing the doable for Ukrainian families

Amid the crisis, Alight emphasizes "doing the doable" by collaborating with local organizations to provide essentials like food, medicine, and shelter. Our efforts on the Polish border and within Ukraine ensure immediate, impactful support.
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We are diving in and doing what’s possible  

The war in Ukraine has caused the largest refugee crisis since World War II and has disrupted the lives of millions of people. It can feel overwhelming to think about how to help, or even where to start.  

In moments and times like these, Alight’s values—the seven core principles at the center of our work—remain as critical as ever. These values are central to how we show up in the world every day. One of them is doing the doable.  

Doing the doable is all about seeing potential through the impossible – and doing what we can do in the face of it. Even when problems seem too big to tackle, we dive right in with what can be done. Because we know that even actions can lead to big impact. And momentum can lead toward change. Touching one person through one act can inspire all.  

One of the most inspiring things about our efforts so far is how other people have stepped up to lead the way alongside us. Whether it’s Ukrainian and Polish volunteers, organizations, city councils, and healthcare institutions, Finding Others—another one of our core values—has helped us Do the doable in the midst of this crisis. It’s the incredible generosity and abundant goodwill of others that buoys our efforts and helps guide the way.  

In the face of what can feel so impossible—the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine—we’re rolling up our sleeves together and doing the doable for Ukrainian refugees. Because we might not be able to change everything. But we can Do the doable for the person right in front of us.  

Doing the doable inside Ukraine

In Ukraine, stores are closed, and people are confined to their homes, shelters, and hospitals. The war has cut off supply lines, and many people are struggling without the bare necessities.  

To help everyday people’s daily lives be a little easier, we’re reaching out and connecting with organizations and volunteers who we can channel support through, and who know what’s most needed, where.  

We’ve connected with the Lviv City Council, hospitals, orphanages, and other groups to get essentials into the country. As a result, we’ve delivered 30+ tons of food for the 200,000 displaced people in Lviv and Kharkiv, non-perishables like soup, tuna fish, cereals, and baby food. And we’ve sent truckloads of medicines and medical supplies, including tourniquets, wound dressings, and plasma transfusion kits to hospitals and bomb shelters in Sumy and Kyiv. In this moment of crisis where supply chains have been disrupted, food and critical medicines mean survival.  

An orphanage in Lviv is sheltering 600 kids (unaccompanied minors from war zones in Ukraine), children as young as 3-months and people with disabilities. To help alleviate the daily challenges, Alight provided medicines (like anti-epileptics and antibiotics), diapers, food, and baby food. [Photo above]  

There are also the doable things that we can’t predict or plan for, but that we can jump in to help with when we can. Like an Ethiopian family, who was stranded deep in Ukraine. We helped this family get to the border and guided them to support and services on arrival. That’s the definition of doing the doable: acting in the moment, doing what’s possible for the person in front of us.  

Doing the doable on the Polish border  

On the Ukraine-Polish border, we’re supporting responders, connecting with organizations, and supporting volunteers to provide the tools they need to further assist Ukrainian refugees. So far, we’ve supplied paramedics with wheelchairs, crutches, and blankets. We’ve created a volunteer recharge station where people working at the border can rest, eat, and recuperate—a moment to refuel before continuing the harrowing work of providing services to people experiencing extreme trauma.  

It’s still cold in Ukraine, and families have often walked or traveled for miles to arrive at the border. So we’ve outfitted recuperation tents, providing beds, cots, and 900L of diesel fuel to heat the space and keep newly arrived families comfortable for several weeks to come. And we’ve set up outdoor heaters and distributed thousands of blankets, hats, scarves, and gloves to displaced Ukrainians.  

Alight teams are also providing protection support, to prevent gender violence or exploitation in what can be a chaotic environment. This involves listening deeply and understanding what people need in the moment and directing them to support and services that can help protect them and prevent abuse from happening.  

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Doing the doable with faith-based partners

We believe in amplifying the efforts of amazing people doing incredible work. While Alight is non-sectarian, we know that faith-based organizations are trusted and critical providers of warmth and sanctuary. So, we’re working with Catholic Sisters, Jewish community centers and interfaith groups to expand our collective impact. Through faith-based partners we’re able to reach Ukrainians with emergency shelter, warm food, medicines and medical care, basic necessities, and even employment opportunities.  

You can help us do the doable

We’ll continue to provide essentials inside Ukraine as long as our support is needed. And right now, the needs are great. Inside Ukraine, some of the things we’ve heard are critical right now are dry goods, canned foods, common medicines, and personal hygiene items. We’re also looking to support neighborhood committees in Kyiv who need food, medications, and relief items for elderly residents. Two animal shelters in Kyiv also need pet food for abandoned animals.  

We’re working to do as much as we can to support the effort to send more supplies into Ukraine. But we need everyone’s help to keep the momentum going. Make a gift to Alight.

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