Vancouver neighbours collect supplies for refugees fleeing Ukraine

A garage on Vancouver's West Side has been transformed into a drop-off and sorting station for donations bound for refugees fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A group of friends and neighbours have been channeling the anxious energy they feel watching the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine into efforts they hope will make a difference for those fleeing the violence.

Kelly Cannon has been serving as the donation co-ordinator for the neighbourhood group. She took a break from packing up boxes Saturday to speak to CTV News.

"It's heartbreaking and heart-wrenching and the only thing we can do is, ultimately, what we can do," Cannon said. "This is what I could do."

The group has spent the last several days collecting the types of essentials refugees need when forced to leave everything behind and flee.

Boxes were filled with clothes, shoes, diapers and more, a total of two truckloads of donations that will now be shipped to the East Coast and then on to Europe.

"As I learned through my son going through cancer this year, people really do look for a place for hope, and this is an easy place where we can do hands-on work and feel like we’re actually contributing,” Cannon said.

The neighbours have all the donations they can handle at the moment, but they encourage others who want to help to start setting items aside in preparation for the expected arrival of Ukrainian refugees in B.C. in the coming months.

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