NJ lines up to help Ukraine amid Russian military invasion

WHIPPANY — New Jerseyans heartbroken by violent images of Ukrainian civilians under attack by the Russian military turned out over the weekend, donating boxes upon boxes of urgently-needed supplies.

The Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany had vehicles lined up on Saturday and Sunday, as part of efforts to help victims in Ukraine.

“Our donation drive this weekend more than exceeded our expectations and we are currently working to finalize the sorting, packaging and shipping of the goods already collected,” the center said in a website update on Monday.

Items, such as clothing, bedding, non-perishable food, and camping-type supplies, have been collected en masse and now would be catalogued by volunteers on Monday and Tuesday.

An Amazon wish list online put together by the center also included such critical items as clotting gauze and water purifying packets.

“We are very grateful for the remarkable show of support to-date in providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine,” the center continued, saying they were "overwhelmed with everyone’s incredible generosity."

The state had offered help with warehousing and transportation support for supplies collected.

"Financial aid to help cover air freight transportation costs and the purchase of on-the-ground goods in Europe is greatly needed,” the center continued, as the volume of donations was moved and shipped.

Website updates would soon be posted as to what humanitarian aid, such as medical supplies, was still in need, as Russian forces continued their aggression in Ukraine.

The center has established a fund for collecting such donations, which are tax deductible, while also adding there are "various organizations to which you may choose to donate."