FOP Lodge 5 Collecting Supplies For Ukrainians Who've Fled Violence

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The situation in Ukraine is weighing heavily on Philadelphia's Fraternal Order of Police and its members. The FOP and its members have watched in horror as the war unfolds. Now, they're taking action to help.

CBS3 was at the FOP Lodge No. 5 in the northeast Monday morning.

Items like soap, toothpaste, shampoo and other hygiene products are being collected there.

The supplies will soon be sent to Poland to help those who've fled the violence in Ukraine.

A massive humanitarian crisis is now unfolding in Europe.

The FOP says it felt compelled to help those who've been forced from their homes with nothing.

"The place that we're going to take it to and drop it off to, they will be taking it to New York and be flown to Warsaw, Poland," Martina Sweeney with the FOP said. "And they're going to get it as close to the Ukrainian border as possible for the people that are coming over the border. We're going to do this every day this week Monday through Friday from 8 to 4 and take it from there. Maybe do it longer. Depends on the demand."

The Ukrainian-American Relief Committee on Cottman Avenue is coordinating with the FOP to help transport the supplies where they're needed most.

The FOP says it will be collecting items all this week from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. They may extend that because the need is so great.