SALT LAKE CITY — A new program to help send supplies to Ukraine was announced Thursday in Utah with the support of several local leaders.
From March 4 to March 14 the state of Utah along with many benefactors are launching a massive campaign to help Ukraine.
"This is what Utah does," said Governor Spencer Cox.
There are many ways Utahns can pitch in to the effort, including monetary and supply donations.
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“This is our time to show up,” first lady Abby Cox said during the announcement with Gail Miller adding “my first reaction was yes we can help.”
All donations will be matched up to 2 million dollars thanks to the help of many Utahns and businesses.
“Every dollar will help,” Miller remarked.
Aside from money, the program is asking for a variety of different supplies including:
- Diapers
- Feminine hygiene products
- Shoes
- Socks
- Coats, waterproof jackets
- Warm hats, gloves and mittens
- Base layers/long underwear
- Emergency thermal blankets
- Hand/foot warmers
Items can be dropped off at Megaplex theaters, Smith’s ballpark, the Daybreak community, and Vivint arena.
The donations will then be flown to Europe in an Intermountain life flight plane.
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“Times like this we are all searching for what we can do to heal,” said Mikelle Moore, senior vice president and chief community health officer for Intermountain Healthcare.
This kind of effort has a direct impact on people like Maxim Morosov, an Ukrainian Utahn who says, “the big trouble came to my motherland Ukraine...there are hundreds of thousands of refugees on the border right now. Mostly women and children.”
During the kick off for the program, Morosov spoke on behalf of his country.
“I was here and I was taking videos and photos and I was sending them to my friends and my family in Ukraine," he said. “[It] means a lot.”
The exact timeline for when the donations will be sent to Utah is still in the works.
The money will be sent to trusted groups right away but as for the donations, Intermountain will carefully plan where they can fly in Europe to deliver the supplies saying it will probably take around 36 hours to coordinate once all of that is decided.
Governor Cox also remarked on if Utah will be accepting Ukrainian refugees.
"What I've told people is just plan on it because that's what we do in Utah,” Cox said.
