How To Help Ukraine By Donating In North Jersey: Drive Organized By Chmerkovskiy Family

FORT LEE, NJ —The father of "Dancing With the Stars" professionals Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy has set up a donation drive in Fort Lee for Ukraine.

Aleksandr "Sasha" Chmerkovskiy set up the charity Baranova27 in Fort Lee. The charity is named for the address where Maksim and Valentin grew up in Odessa, according to NorthJersey.com. The brothers have been posting about the war in their homeland and ways to help since Russia first invaded Ukraine almost two weeks ago.

Baranova27 has an Amazon wish list for items to send overseas to Ukraine, as well as a physical drop-off location at 2060 Hudson Street.

Updates will be posted on Instagram with drop-off times. Volunteers plan to be at the site Tuesday until 8 p.m.

Chmerkovskiy wrote on Instagram that about 60 people came to help Monday, including Fort Lee's mayor and several first responders, and many other neighbors.

"Today was a great reminder that 'when there is a will, there is way' and where there's humanity, there can be change. Thank you."

Anyone able to help collect and pack donations is asked to direct message the charity on Instagram.

Baranova27 said the following items are needed; items in bold are especially needed.

• Clothes and footwear
• Thermal Underwear
• Blankets
• Beddings
• Boys' underwear
• Boxes and packaging tape
• Food (non-perishable)
• Disposable Tableware
• First Aid & KitsCare mats,
• Soldier equipment (tactical gloves and glasses, MREs, tents, walkie-talkies)
• Tents
• Mattresses
• Sleeping bags
• Hygiene products (female pads, diapers, wipes)
• Portable Flashlight, Standalone Lamps
• Wheelchairs without batteries
• Walkers
• Rollers
• Crutches
• Communications (Cell phones, Walkie-Talkies, RadioTransmitters, Radios)
• Laptops and Tablets (charged)
• Folding Beds

Dance With Me Dance Studios, which the Chmerkovskiy brothers run, are offering relocation help, housing and a $5,000 signing bonus for Ukrainian dancers who want to relocate their careers to the United States.