'Overwhelmed and grateful': Ukrainian organization thankful for surge of donations, says more still needed

The Ukrainian National Federation of Canada is focusing on two major areas of donations – medical supplies and protective gear.

Winnipeg — The Ukrainian National Federation of Canada is calling on Winnipeggers to donate to the ongoing humanitarian crisis as the Russian invasion rages on.

The organization said it is now focusing on two major areas – medical supplies and protective gear.

Organizers say donations from the community are coming in fast.

"We're so overwhelmed, overwhelmed and grateful for that,” donations coordinator Anna Karpenko told CTV News Winnipeg. “People just keep coming and bringing their things to send over to Ukraine. That's incredible, touching, heartbreaking.”

The organization is expecting an influx of Ukrainian women and children refugees to arrive in Canada within the next two weeks.

This comes after the Canadian government announced last week it is opening up two new immigration streams.

One will allow an unlimited number of Ukrainians to come to this country on a temporary basis with expedited emergency visas, and the other is a new family reunification pathway for those looking to stay permanently in Canada.

The federation is already starting to assemble materials they will need once they arrive.

“We’re keeping a lot of items here - feminine items, clothing, food for them and we’ll create some sort of settlement assistance centre here,” Karpenko said.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Aiello