CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — After eight days of war, several businesses and community organizations in central Pennsylvania are stepping up to coordinate donations for Ukrainians in the midst of a Russian invasion.
One of those organizations is Teknika. Although the manufacturing company is based out of San Jose, California, it owns warehouses in both Upper Allen Township and Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Since the Kharkiv location recently shut down due to the ongoing war, Teknika's workers in Cumberland County are trying to collect a wide range of donations for their fellow company employees and their families in Ukraine.
"We've all been asking what could we do...as soon as this started, and we didn't really have a good answer," said Zachary Epple, Teknika's warehouse manager in Mechanicsburg. "A lot of stuff goes to refugees, and we wanted to make sure this is people we work with in a daily basis. They rely on us [and] we rely on them...So it's very important to us as a whole company to support our brothers and sisters that are over there."
Donation organizers are asking for both civilians and soldiers in Ukraine. According to Epple, most-needed items include hygiene products; medicine and first aid supplies; non-perishable food; baby formula; blankets; and clothes for men, women, and children.
Individuals can leave items at 5065 Ritter Rd., Suite 106, Mechanicsburg.
Drop-off hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. However, Epple says he is making trips to Altoona on Saturdays to collect any items people may have to donate and hopes weekend hours will be added soon.
Interested donors can call Epple with questions at (814) 931-5837.
For a full list of requested donation items, click here.