Noblesville organization needs volunteers to help pack supplies for Ukraine

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — All next week, an organization in Noblesville is hosting “emergency” packing events to send supplies to Ukraine.

David Stine, executive director of International Disaster Emergency Service, said the organization has already sent four shipping containers of food to Ukraine. He said that amounts to about 1 million meals.

“We have almost a million dollars in aid that has gone so far with easily a million more that will likely go as well. Working in Ukraine as well as surrounding countries with partners, we have 11 countries that right now we are helping with refugees, or in Ukraine, internally displaced people,” Stine said.

Known by its acronym, IDES is an international organization started and based in Noblesville. Stine says volunteers are assisting with efforts not just overseas, but here in the United States, too.

“We have teams responding still to Kentucky tornado home rebuilding. That team is just leaving this weekend, and we have another coming in. Another disaster coordinator is actually in Kansas with the tornado that was just outside of Wichita, leading efforts there,” Stine said.

Stine said to accomplish the organization’s goals in Ukraine, IDES needs all the help it can get. He said packing the container takes teams of volunteers, and there’s work for all abilities and ages.

“Helping through IDES and other organizations like ours remind people that others on the other side of the world still care about them. We are thinking about them. We are doing what we can either financially or with our hands, providing a service because we care,” Stine said.

The packing starts Monday and goes through May 14. You can sign up online.