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Helping Ukraine | Atlanta-area charities offer ways to assist

A warning sign a charity may not be legitimate is asking for payment via cryptocurrency, a wire transfer, or gift cards.

CONYERS, Ga. — You may be wondering how you can donate to help the effort in Ukraine without being scammed. The Better Business Bureau has some tips to avoid becoming a victim.

A missionary in Conyers is working with volunteers to bring much-needed aid to displaced Ukrainians.

“I literally weep. It makes me so sad," Anna La Lande said, for whom the war in Ukraine hits home.

“These children are going to be without their dad. And it could be forever. Their wives could be alone forever, just like I am,” La Lande said. 

La Lande and her husband served as missionaries for 12 years. He died in 2020, and she created the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Drawn To The Truth Missions in his honor. 

“My husband was an orphan, and I'm a widow. My children are fatherless," La Lande said. "I know what that feels like, and that's enough for me to say, 'Wow, there's something more that needs to be done, and I want to take action.'

She's taking action and connecting directly with four churches in Ukraine to send aid through the charity. 

“I’ve looked for places that help the actual medical care, the medicine, the vitamins, medicine that is over the counter, as well as supplying diapers, wipes," La Lande said. 

11Alive verified this non-profit is registered with the IRS, but how do you know a charity isn't trying to scam you?

“Be cautious about newly created charities. The founders of these new groups have the best intentions, but it can be kind of challenging to distribute all the items without help or even prior experience of disaster relief," said Simone Williams, spokesperson with the Better Business Bureau of Metro Atlanta, Athens, and Northeast Georgia. 

Williams said warning signs a charity may not be legitimate are asking for payment via a wire transfer or gift cards and not having experience in the location they claim to serve. 

“If they only accept cryptocurrency, that is something that people are now taking advantage of because once you send that money, you can never get it back. Another thing is crowdfunding sites," Williams said. 

You can also take steps to make sure pictures on a charity's website are real. 

“You want to do a reverse photo search to make sure that that photo is not appearing on other charity websites," Williams said. 

Click here for more information on how you can donate to help Ukrainians through Drawn To The Truth Missions, and click here for more organizations helping the people of Ukraine. Click here for more tips from the Better Business Bureau on avoiding charity scams. 

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