Rockland Lawmakers, HV Nonprofit Seek Items For Ukraine Relief

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Two Rockland County lawmakers are working with a world relief organization, the Yonkers-based Afya Foundation, to collect specific items needed by the 1 million-plus refugees who have fled Ukraine.

“Many feel helpless as they watch news reports of everyday people running for their lives and want to do whatever they can to bring some kind of relief,” Legislator Alden Wolfe said in an announcement about the donation drive he and Legislator Aney Paul are heading. “This collection effort is a small but meaningful way to aid those who have escaped Ukraine but left almost everything behind – their homes, their jobs and their dreams.”

Afya, which works to address the critical shortage of medical supplies in underserved communities around the world, is supporting hospitals in Ukraine and refugee centers in Poland. Afya is working with several local non-profits in Poland and Ukraine: US-Ukraine Foundation, MEEST, National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, and Revived Soldiers Ukraine.

The supplies collected in the Rockland drive will be delivered to refugee centers.

Only specific items should be donated:

• Flashlights
• batteries for flashlights
• first aid kits
• face masks
• hand sanitizer
• baby diapers
• adult diapers
• Personal hygiene kits containing soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, deodorant, shampoo, razor, and shaving cream
• OTC (Over the Counter) kits containing aspirin, acetaminophen, cough medicine, oximeters, ace bandages, and compression bandages.

No donations of any kind of food, clothing, coats, toys, books, boots or other footwear will be accepted at this time.

Donations can be dropped off weekdays at the Rockland County Legislature’s Offices, 11 New Hempstead Road in New City. All donations will be transported to Afya's warehouse for shipment to Poland. Call 1-845-638-5184 for more information.

“We are grateful to partner with Afya to bring whatever help we can to the struggling people of Ukraine,” Paul said. “Their country has been destroyed by this needless and immoral invasion and these teachers, construction workers, shopkeepers, and all others who are now refugees with unclear futures need all the assistance we can offer. Together, we can bring help and hope to Ukraine.”

Afya’s Disaster Response Hub has already shipped pallets of medical supplies including surgical kits, sutures, suction tubing, gloves and gowns that will allow various surgeries to be conducted in the field to be distributed to military hospitals.

Afya also needs volunteers to help prep more critical medical supply shipments for Ukraine. You can sign up on their volunteerhub.