CaliGirls Ukraine:
Project Dunkirk

Grassroots Aid for Ukraine

Transport Vans

Laptop Computers

UkraineZoom-rev

Transport Vans

WHO WE ARE

Over a year ago, immediately after the (current) Russian invasion, two former Ukrainian LLM students contacted their old professor, Karen Widess, now in California, to help raise money to buy a vehicle for the troops in Ukraine. Those students, Oleksandr Sydielnikov and Svitlana Maistruk, were seeking to raise funds to support the brave Ukrainian military and volunteer fighters in defending the sovereignty and nascent democracy in their country.

After completing their graduate degrees, both Oleksandr and Svitlana went on to work for rule-of-law projects to build a just and democratic Ukraine. This effort has not ceased in spite of the conflict.

However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 they have also been working furiously to bring emergency supplies, defensive and humanitarian goods to the front lines where supplies are scarce, and when possible, rescue and evacuate civilians.

The rest of us are the “California Girls”, lifelong friends who decided to try to help: Susan Connell, Debbie Glick, Karen Widess, and Nina Ziskin. Our original and continuing purpose has been to support the [non-lethal] needs of the Ukrainian military and volunteer fighters, procuring what they request to be able to defend their country.

We never anticipated that we would still be working to support them a year later, but here we are, and as President Biden has said at least several times, we will be here “as long as it takes”.

We call the work we are doing “Project Dunkirk” to convey the impression of the multitude of civilian boats in World War II who contributed in a small way to the overall victory of the allies. We hope that our effort is contributing in the same way to an eventual Ukrainian victory.

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WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR

At the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion, Project Dunkirk had collected a little over $45,000, which is about 1,780,000 Ukrainian Hryvnia. That goes a long way in Ukraine and Poland, where almost all of our procurement takes place. This has allowed us to buy a mountain of supplies and equipment for a relatively small US dollar amount.

A sample of what has been purchased includes six vehicles and their repair and transport, along with laptop computers, thermal and night vision scopes and range-finders, power supplies such as portable solar charger and generators, food and medicine for both fighters and Ukrainian civilians under Russian occupation, sanitary products for female fighters, gasmasks and other military equipment.

Our funds have also gone to pay medical expenses for wounded fighters, rehabilitation of damaged vehicles so they could be put back into the field, and costs of evacuation of civilian populations.

LOCAL EMPOWERMENT

NON-LETHAL AID

STRATEGIC PURCHASING

The Efficiency of Grassroots Direct Aid

Donor money is never wasted; none of it.

We are all volunteers, in Ukraine, Poland and here in California, and no one receives any compensation. We have virtually no overhead, except for minimal wire transfer fees, so all donations go directly and fully into Ukraine.

We work to "shopping lists" from regional Ukrainian defense forces, who tell us the specific items they need. This means that everything purchased goes to the intended users while still immediately and urgently necessary, usually within days.

While many countries are contributing massively to the supply of weapons and ammunition, and millions worldwide are supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Western Ukraine, and elsewhere, our project is one of several that fulfil the need for non-lethal supplies and equipment to support Ukraine’s defense. This is a particularly democratic and Ukrainian way of delivering aid and assistance

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Saving Lives

This project is all about saving lives.

Since the inception of Project Dunkirk in early March 2022, we have helped save many lives by supplying the military and volunteers with vehicles, surveillance drones, gasmasks, thermal scopes, medical kits, computers and other badly needed supplies and equipment such as bulletproof vests, food, diapers, clothing and more. Over 100 evacuees were taken safely to the Ukrainian-Polish border. Apparently, the thermal scopes have been particularly helpful in protecting the soldiers from surprise attacks at night and the laptops are being used to control tactical defensive equipment such as drones.

We have also begun to pay for medical expenses for those wounded in combat.

Danger and Security

Many of the units we have been supporting have come under heavy artillery attack from Russian forces. There have been injuries and deaths, some which have been felt directly by our project volunteers in Ukraine, our friends and donors. Some equipment that we purchased has been lost, others such as vehicles have been heavily damaged.

While all Project Dunkirk volunteers are civilians, their work is also not without risk, particularly as it requires travel up to and sometimes behind the Russian lines. Mere days after one of our vehicles (the Mercedes Sprinter) was delivering goods and equipment to Kramatorsk, the city’s railroad station was bombed while full of refugees attempting to flee the area. More than 50 people were killed and many more wounded. (source: BBC News)

Our hearts ache for the soldiers, fighters, volunteers and their families and we have sent our condolences on behalf of all of us. We need to remind ourselves and our donors that this project is taking place in a war and that such tragedies are not unexpected and that we continue to support their efforts during their time of sacrifice.

For security reasons, we never reveal the name or location of any of the military or humanitarian groups that we assist, but we always keep them in our thoughts.

Partnerships

Project Dunkirk continues to find new partners to work with who have the same ethos that we do: procuring needed [non-lethal] items to order for known fighting groups in Ukraine, buying what is requested and putting it directly into the requester’s hands while still immediately and urgently necessary, usually within days. We take virtually no overhead, except for minimal wire transfer fees, so all donations go directly and fully into Ukraine to fulfill these requests.

Our partners include the Government of Estonia and many small groups from Ukraine and Poland. As good quality vehicles have become increasingly scarce and expensive, we have been looking farther afield to identify and buy cars and trucks at reasonable prices. And like a miracle, a new Germany-based partner has appeared to help. Pickup4Ukraine is a small fundraising group who have joined us with energy and enthusiasm and the ability to multiply the effects of our efforts. We have already conducted our first joint project, providing a good quality used truck, filled with medical and other supplies to fighters and hospitals in Eastern Ukraine. Welcome Michael, Annette, and everyone at Pickup4Ukraine!