'There's some people walking the streets crying': How you can help displaced Ukrainians

As Russia's attack on Ukraine intensifies, U.S. charity groups — and even Austinites — are stepping up humanitarian efforts.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Explosions continue to rock the capital of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president called on the world to take stronger action against Russia, asking for help defending the country. At least 140 people are dead and 316 injured.

"We, just a few hours ago, got the 'go dark' call and the siren, so we believe that they may — the Russians may be coming through this way," said Mark Davis.

Davis is in Mykolaiv, a city in southern Ukraine. He runs two orphanages in nearby cities through his registered nonprofit, Abundance International.

He spoke with KXAN just hours before his neighborhood was attacked.

"We heard some, you know, artillery sound in the background," he said. "The city is completely dark. It's amazing. It's like it ghost town, I've never seen anything like it."

Davis said there are about 200 children at his orphanages, and about a third of them have special needs. He doesn't want to move them out of their comfort zone, yet.

"It could be more harmful, you know, to their health and in their lives ... trying to take them out and take them some other place," he explained. "We've just said, 'Just hunker down, we're only in day two of the invasion. Let's just wait this out, but don't upset the system for these kids.'"

Davis is not only worried about everyone's health and safety, he's also worried about funding.

He said the Ukrainian government currently pays for the facilities and basic staffing needs, but he's not sure how long that will last during a war.

That's where Austin investor and business consultant, Adam Lyons, came in.

Lyons helps businesses grow, and Davis was already one of his clients.

"We instantly realized that there was a massive risk of any kind of funding going into the Ukraine," Lyons said. "We've already seen a precedent of governments taking control of donated funds and refusing to allow them to go to where they need to go as a political maneuver, and so we wanted to make sure that that didn't happen to Mark."

He set up a GoFundMe linked to an American bank account for Davis.

"And then from there, Mark can make wires internationally to the various places they need to go," Lyons explained.

Global nonprofit Save the Children's CEO, Janti Soeripto, said there are 7.5 million kids in Ukraine. They consider all of them at risk.

"Because there are essentially no safe spaces in Ukraine as of this moment," she said.

Along with distributing things like hygiene, winter kits and food, Soeripto said they're also preparing to help displaced or refugee children.

"We will do everything we can to help children get reunified with with direct or extended family," she said.

In a press release Thursday, Save the Children said at least 100,000 kids and their families had already left their homes since Monday to shelter with others.

"Everyone is nervous here. There's some people walking the streets crying," said Davis.

Davis wants to be set up to help orphans beyond his own orphanages and is already thinking about potential long-term strategies.

"It may be that gas becomes an issue and so, you know, we have to look at okay, well who's local, we could get to go make deliveries or it may be that food supplies in another city."

He doesn't know how long this war will last, but said his employees are doing their best to keep kids calm.

"The psychology and health of the worker that's got to appease her own freak-out fear and terror of what's going on to be in a state where she can be a calm, nurturing caregiver to these infants," he said.

How else you can help

Charity Navigator lists its verified charities that have relief efforts in Ukraine.

The charities earned three and four-star ratings by the Navigator "by being financially efficient and transparent in their operations," and the list will continue to be updated.

Here are some you can donate to with assurance your money will be in the right hands:

• Save the Children has staff in Texas the group said will stay to help children here while other members help in Ukraine. “Our most immediate concern is the risk to their health and wellbeing – in conflict, everything is on the table – death, injury, sexual violence, protection risks," said Irina Saghoyan, Save the Children’s Eastern Europe director.
  
• Project Hope has a team in Texas it said is staying in state to continue COVID-related efforts. Another team in Ukraine is helping provide health care for children and their families.
  
• International Medical Corps provides medical and mental health help, in partnership with local Ukrainian organizations and the Ukraine Ministry of Health.
  
• Catholic Relief Services is providing shelter, hot meals and offering transportation to safe areas for Ukrainians.
  
• GlobalGiving said it is focusing on providing access to food, medical services and psychosocial support.