Collections for flood victims – Caritas, WOŚP, PCK, PAH

In the face of the tragedy, Polish women and men are mobilizing and organizing both material and financial collections to help those who have lost their belongings. Local governments, retail chains and schools have also joined in the collections for flood victims.

Non-governmental organizations also got involved in helping.

As part of the campaign Caritas Poland Parcel for Flood Victims Everyone can prepare a parcel containing food, hygiene products, matches, candles, batteries or painkillers.

The shopping list for the parcel includes the most needed products: rice, pasta, groats, sugar, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, powdered milk, instant meals and porridge, puddings, jelly, ready meals with a long shelf life (meatballs, cabbage rolls, beans), breadsticks, crackers and chocolate.

In addition, the parcel should contain hygiene items: toilet paper, wet wipes, sanitary pads, bar soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo.

The products should also include: matches (set of 10), candles (set of 6), AA batteries (set of 10), a hair comb, a painkiller, rubber gloves and protective gloves, plasters with a dressing, hydrogen peroxide and Octenisept.

A package prepared in this way should weigh around 12 kg. The package can be completed alone or in a group.

You can also support the campaign by making an online payment using the form on the website caritas.pl/powodz, by transferring money by Blikeim to the number +48-668-07-00 00 with the title POWODZ or by traditional transfer to the account number 77 1160 2202 0000 0000 3436 4384 with the note POWODZ.

Caritas also reminded that next Sunday, a nationwide fundraiser for flood victims will be held in churches. Through Caritas Poland, the money will be transferred to those affected by the disaster.

In addition, Caritas announced that it had launched a nationwide collection for flood victims and a collection of items in bulk for companies and businesses. Proposals for such assistance should be sent to the address owocdz@caritas.org.pl.

Aid for flood victims has also been provided The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.

– The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity announced yesterday that it is making 40 million zlotys available for the most needed purchases. For such funds that can be purchased immediately and transferred to all those places that need them – he said in Wrocław Jerzy Owsiak.

A list of items that are most needed in flood-affected areas has been created.

– Bottled water, bread with a longer shelf life, dry provisions, baby food, hygiene products, paper towels, pet food, cleaning products, power banks, batteries, flashlights, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows – listed the head of WOŚP.

The WOŚP website provides a collection account where you can donate funds to purchase the most necessary items, as well as materials and medical equipment that was destroyed during the flood.

WOŚP has launched a website (powodz.wosp.org.pl) and a contact line (578 275 177), where you can find information on how to get involved in helping.

WOŚP has already launched an account for donations for emergency aid and the most urgent purchases of medical equipment and supplies: PLN 12 1140 1010 0000 5244 4400 1043 (mBank account).

The flood victims were also helped by Polish Humanitarian Action.

“In connection with the tragic flood and serious destruction in the south of the country, we are providing the necessary immediate assistance and support to residents after the disaster. This is yet another time that we are involved in helping flood victims in Poland,” we read in the statement.

Donations can be made via the PAH website or the fundraiser on zrzutka.pl, but also via BLIK to the number 453 021 973 with the text: SOS FLOOD or by transfer to the account number: 02 2490 0005 0000 4600 8316 8772 with the note “Flood”.

Polish Red Cross launched a special collection aimed at supporting residents of flooded areas by providing food, drinking water, hygiene products and dehumidifiers for buildings.

Donations can be made online at www.pck.pl, directly to the account number: 16 1160 2202 0000 0002 7718 3060, via BLIK (794 33 22 11) or the Zrzutka.pl platform.

A nationwide fundraiser is also being run by the foundation siepomaga.pl. The collection address is: https://www.siepomaga.pl/podzie.

On the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, zbiorki.gov.pl, you can register your collection. People who want to donate in-kind or financial resources can check whether the collection is verified.

In turn, on the website of the National Institute of Freedom (NIW) you can check non-governmental organizations that are involved in helping those most in need.

NIW has published five principles for responsible crisis response:

1. Check the legality of the collection. Make sure that the financial collection is registered on the portal zbiorki.gov.pl.

2. Help according to need. Before you donate, check what is actually needed. Collecting the wrong things can cause chaos and hinder the work of services.

3. Work with experienced organizations and local government. Trust experienced organizations that know how to best allocate funds.

4. Verify the integrity of the organizers. Check the credibility of the organizer and their previous actions. This will help avoid fraud and ensure that your support goes where it needs to.

5. Coordinate actions. Avoid ill-considered actions, cooperate with organizations and authorities. This will ensure the effectiveness of aid.

NIW recommends special caution when supporting collections set up by individuals on popular collection portals. In the case of a collection set up by an individual for the purpose of a needy non-governmental organization or local government, it should be ensured that it is set up on behalf of the needy.