By Barbara Goldberg

PORT READING. New Jersey (Reuters). A yellow Tweety Bird sweatshirt clad a woman separated blood-stopping gauzes from catheters in a small corner of a large warehouse. A volunteer also sealed a bag of energy bars, gloves and batteries while a man with ponytails sorted diapers and batteries.

Roman Pylypiv (27) said, “I am a Ukrainian. Every Ukrainian should do something.” He had driven from Philadelphia to New Jersey in order to prepare donations for Ukrainians.

Pylypiv stated that “there’s men of my age fighting there”, referring to his eight-year-old move from Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine, where he still has a family. This is not like the work they do.

Meest-America Inc is a shipping company that specializes in delivery to Eastern Europe. They have gathered hundreds of volunteers to help sort and package donated military equipment, medical supplies and clothing for the Ukrainian market.

The warehouse covers 92,000 sq. ft. (or 8,550 sq. m) and is located just 14 miles (22 km), from Newark Liberty International Airport.

There are 35 rows of orange-painted brackets that run three stories high. Each shelf is filled with toys, householdware, and other items.

In an interview, Natalia Brandafi, chief operating officer, stated that Meest-America has been focusing almost all its efforts on organizing humanitarian aid donations from individuals, churches and charities over the last two weeks.

According to her, the company, named bridge in Ukrainian by its name, charges 30% off for humanitarian goods that it manages, paid through monetary donations. The company has obtained export permits for highly sensitive items like helmets and bulletproof vests.

Brandafi stated that Meest’s New Jersey warehouse had shipped over 260,000 pounds (1120,000 kilograms) of humanitarian aid in the past week.

The demand for military equipment and medical supplies has replaced the earlier cry for baby and warm clothes.

Over 2 million Ukrainians fled their country with little more than what they could carry. Nearly all were children and women. Men were also urged not to leave the country and encouraged to fight. The government gave them weapons to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces defend themselves.

Brandafi stated that Meest can consult with the Ukraine Embassy Washington and New York’s Ukraine Consulate New York for donation requests.

Valentyna Gororodko (an Odessa native) sat in the corner of the warehouse. This is Valentyna’s third day volunteering at Montefiore Medical Center.

Donated “medical products” were separated from “tactical medicine,” which she used to stop the bleeding.

Goloborodko stated that it was simple actions that could save someone’s life on the battlefield.