AOECS Emergency Fund
DonateAOECS continues seeking for donations to support Ukrainian Coeliacs
On Friday 4th March 2022, the AOECS had its first Ukrainian Crisis Committee to exchange information and concerns among members about the situation in Ukraine and seek for effective solutions to support Ukrainian coeliacs both in their home country as well as in one of the neighbouring countries welcoming refugees.
Among other measures, it was decided to set up the AOECS Ukraine Emergency Fund to centralise the management of donations to support Ukrainian Coeliacs. Many contributed to the fund for which we are most grateful.
Unfortunately, the situation in Ukraine has not improved. There is still a need for support.
How to donateHow are the donations used?
Since the AOECS Ukraine Emergency Fund was set up, over 160.000 Euros have been gathered both from National Coeliacs Societies members of AOECS as well as individual donations. For this we are most grateful.
The Fund was created with the commitment that money raised is to be used to:
- arrange and deliver gluten-free food to the coeliacs in Ukraine: this has been mostly led by the Polish Coeliac Society in close coordination with the Ukrainian Coeliac Society
- arrange and deliver gluten-free food to coeliac refugees in those countries that welcomed them. Most neighbouring countries managed to get national or regional finding to articulate this support without using the AOECS Ukraine Emergency Fund
- provide Ukrainian coeliac refugees with counselling and gathering events that support their trauma recovery (particularly for children) and social integration in the hosting countries. This was mostly led by Latvia and Hungary where summer camps welcomed Ukrainian families using sponsorship from the AOECS Ukraine Emergency Fund.
Concretely, in the past months’ funds transferred to the Polish Coeliac Society as the focal point for support, have been used to cover:
- Additional costs for Human Resources
- Stockage costs for storing non-perishable gluten-free products
- Transport and logistic costs for sending gluten-free food products to Ukraine
- Buying gluten-free food products and cooking utensils
See how it is done and the results
This film produced by the Ukrainian Coeliac Society shows how the shipments of gluten-free food works and expresses their gratitude towards people supporting this work.
How can people support?
Companies and private individuals can support the AOECS Ukraine Emergency Fund in two ways:
Through National Coeliac Societies
Send your donation to the National Coeliac Society in your country, stating in the explanation row “Donation for Ukranian Coeliacs”. The National Coeliac Society will transfer the funds to AOECS to centralize its management.
Here you can find the National Coeliac Society in your country.
Directly to the AOECS Central Emergency Fund
Companies and private individuals may send their donations directly to AOECS using the following bank details:
Beneficiary’s account name: AOECS
Bank name: KBC Banque, Brussels,
IBAN: BE66 7360 3218 2543
SWIFTBIC: KREDBEBB
Explanation: “Donation for Ukrainian Coeliacs”
...or, if you prefer, use your credit card and register for the Coeliac Day Run 2024. You can donate from 10€ and up. All revenue from the race goes to the AOECS Emergency Fund for Ukraine.