Transport company De Rooy in Son has started a fundraising campaign for Ukrainian families of drivers who flee the war with Russia. Since then, the company has been storming: countless people come to bring clothes, shoes and toys.
“This way I can give something back,” says a man with a large bag of clothes under his arm. “I hope they can do something with these clothes in Ukraine. It’s a small gesture but you still want to contribute in one way or another.”
Everything is welcome, the company said in an appeal on Facebook. A lot of people come to bring clothes, but a lot of toys have already been delivered.
Owner Gerard de Rooy says he is not picky. “People can bring all kinds of things. We don’t care.”
De Rooy Transport also has a branch in Poland. The ties with Ukraine are close there, because many drivers from that location come from that country. “Their families now live in uncertainty, for example because they have fled or cannot leave.”
De Rooij wants to help those drivers and their families and not just with clothes and toys.
“We are also trying to arrange shelter for those families in holiday parks close to our location in Poland. We send all the ‘leftover’ items to the border with Ukraine, where other refugees will hopefully benefit.”
For the time being, the interest is high. The mountain of clothes is piling up at the company. Gerard de Rooij thinks it is wonderful to see all this interest. The pile of clothes can’t get high enough as far as he’s concerned.
“If necessary, we will deploy a few extra trucks. As long as it ends up with the right people.”
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