Italian organizations send aid to Poland to help Ukranians

The Milan Fair Foundation and the Arca Project Foundation have collected over 100 tons of essential goods for Ukrainian refugees. Trucks departed for Poland earlier this week.

Over 100 tons of essential goods -- including food, medicines, diapers, glasses, plates, sleeping bags

and toys -- are en route to the Polish cities of Warsaw and Poznan where they will be distributed to Ukrainian refugees.

The aid was collected by the Fondazione Milano Fiera (Milan Fair Foundation) and the Fondazione Progetto Arca (Arca Project Foundation). The foundations also organized the expedition of 12 trucks to transport the aid from Italy to Poland.

The first eight trucks departed in the morning of Wednesday, April 20, while the other four will leave in the next few days. This is the second mission organized by the foundations after some 70 tons of aid was sent at the end of March.

The eight trucks that departed on April 20 are traveling towards the Ptak Warsaw Expo, the main hub hosting and aiding Ukrainian refugees in Europe. Some 800,000 people have been hosted at the hub since the beginning of the emergency. 

The other four trucks will go to the Fair in the city of Poznan.

A 'prompt and generous' response

The Milan Fair Foundation responded to the appeal launched by the Warsaw Fair through the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UF) together with the Fondazione Progetto Arca, which participated to collect aid and will also distribute it through its volunteers in Poland.

The two foundations said companies and institutions have responded in a "prompt and generous" way to help refugees. 

In particular, they responded to the requests made by volunteers on the ground and this new expedition included toys and stuffed animals which many children will be able to bring with them as travel companions once they leave the hosting center.

Thanks to the collaboration of companies in the sector, furniture and carpets were also sent to set up long-term lodgings for refugees inside the fair premises in Warsaw.

 It is hoped this will allow those staying there to create a more familiar and cozy environment.

A number of Italian companies donated goods for this second expedition, including the hosiery company Calzedonia, present across Europe, a big milk consortium Consorzio Latterie Virgilio Soc. Agr. Coop, an exposition company Expotrans, and the international fabric fair Fabriano, as well as various exhibitors at fairs across Italy, including Tuttofood, Host and Homi.

Companies and private citizens can still contribute essential goods and toys or by donating money through the bank account Unicredit Banca IBAN IT35L0200801619000106043882 from Fondazione Progetto Arca - Payment description: Emergenza Ucraina Fiera Varsavia (Ukraine emergency Warsaw Fair).