SEKO Cares – Relief for Ukraine

When there’s a will, there’s a way.

As war escalated in Ukraine this spring, and the world banded together to provide critical support, we knew there was an opportunity for us to do our part – to leverage our network, people, process, technologies and capabilities – to make a difference for people in need.

So, working with our incredible partners, we made a call to our global community to help.

United Cargo answered the call and facilitated an introduction between our team and Airlink, a global humanitarian organization delivering aid to communities in crisis by providing airlift and logistical solutions. Airlink has since become our trusted partner for ongoing Ukraine relief efforts, helping our team get critical medical supplies to the border, into the country and into the hands of people who need it most.

Alongside Airlink, SEKO teamed up with Project C.U.R.E, the world’s largest distributor of donated medical relief, and several other organizations to:

• Ship over 500 pallets of humanitarian aid by air and ground to Ukraine and neighboring countries.
• Donate $150,000 to transportation services for medical, food, and other goods into Ukraine.
• Raise an additional $200,000 to support Airlink’s work providing relief efforts around Ukraine and other communities in crisis. You can still donate to our cause here!
• Ship 10,000 teddy bears and dozens of neonatal incubators to children affected by the war.

 

“SEKO has been an instrumental partner in Airlink’s Ukraine Relief efforts. Leveraging SEKO’s capabilities and generous contributions from our airline partners, Airlink has mobilized over 25 relief shipments to Ukraine and neighboring countries on behalf of 9 nonprofit organizations. The nearly 500 pallets of medical and humanitarian supplies will benefit hospitals, community centers, and thousands of Ukrainians affected by the war. SEKO CARES has donated over $50,000 in trucking and logistics services to Airlink and is inspiring the sector to sustainably support relief efforts through a fundraising campaign resulting in more than $70,000 of additional resources for humanitarian response. The expertise and can-do attitude of the SEKO Cares team have been invaluable in effectively responding to a complex situation under a very challenging logistical environment.” - Cindy Rocha, Airlink.

 

Operation: Teddy Bear Lift

A heartbreaking outcome of the conflict in Ukraine has and continues to be its impact on the country’s children. According to UNICEF, by the middle of July 2022, more than 6.2 million people were internally displaced, while more than 6.1 million refugees from Ukraine had registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe. Millions of these individuals are children.

To support Ukraine’s children, SEKO teamed up with the Ukraine Association of Washington State (UAWS) and a Seattle-based radio station, Warm 106.9, and Bartell Drugs for Operation Teddy Bear Lift, a campaign to send over 10,000 teddy bears to children affected by the war.

SEKO Logistics is proud to have partnered with United Cargo, the Ukraine Association of Washington, Forward Air, WARM 106.9 and Bartell Drugs to coordinate the logistics on this much needed donation.

 

The bears took over a 5,600-mile-long journey – first traveling by truck from Seattle to the O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. Next, the bears were airlifted to Munich, Germany, and finally, they traveled by truck again to Ukraine. Once in the country, UAWS and SEKO Teams worked with local affiliated agencies to coordinate pairing the teddy bears with children in need.

If the past several months have taught us anything, it’s that we’ve truly built an unrivaled global network that expands beyond our logistics specialty to include a network of humanitarians who have worked tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of others. Whether delivering medical supplies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or teddy bears to kids in Ukraine, we know our responsibility is to focus on what is important right now: helping people and communities in need.

 

PAY IT FORWARD

We’re rooted in the concept of ‘paying it forward,’ and now more than ever, this type of collective effort amongst larger organizations is absolutely critical. If even a handful of other companies follow their lead, they can collectively make a significant and very positive impact on the world.

If we’ve inspired you today, please email us at SEKOCares@sekologistics.com to find out more about how SEKO can support your own relief initiatives. To learn more about SEKO CARES and how to be involved in our work, visit https://www.sekologistics.com/us/about/seko-cares/.