Airbnb users are booking in Ukraine to directly support Ukrainians

You may have seen the news about Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky ’s announcement that they’re suspending all operations in Russia and its puppet state Belarus, but you may not be aware of the other Airbnb activism: making bookings as a way to directly give money to Ukrainians!

People have reasoned out that Airbnb can be used as a way to find people in a specific area and send them money. It’s simple — you just book a room or house in Ukraine without actually staying:

HOW TO HELP – just booked a Kiev AirBnb for 1 week, simply as a means of getting money directly into the hands of Kiev residents. It's really cheap and can make a small difference right now. Please share this idea #Ukraine #Russia #StopWarInUkraine #StopPutinNOW #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/7yQDLYRkph

— Mario Di Maggio (@SeniorSciComm) March 3, 2022

I found about this novel approach to crowdfunding from the Facebook account of Christopher “Christophe the Insultor” Buehlman, a comedian and writer whom I know through his insult comedy show at Tampa Bay’s Bay Area Renaissance Festival.

I’ve also read posts where people are giving money to Airbnb hosts in neighboring countries who are taking in refugees.

I’m going to do the same.

Find out more here:

• The Guardian: Ukraine Airbnbs receive bookings in effort to get money to residents
• Today: How Americans are using Airbnb as a way to get money to Ukrainians