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Maksim Chmerkovskiy, the former Dancing With the Stars pro who had been documenting his escape from Ukraine to Poland amid Russia's invasion, has said that "every little bit helps" is not actually true when it comes to relief work.
The dancer discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine in an appearance on the podcast Just B with Bethenny Frankel this week.
The entrepreneur and former The Real Housewives of New York City cast member previously teamed up with Chmerkovskiy to raise money for relief efforts in Ukraine and through her initiative, BStrong, and its Global Empowerment Mission, they have raised more than $100 million.
However, Chmerkovskiy and Frankel urged their listeners to be careful what organizations they donate money to and revealed a myth about crisis aid.
"If you're very philanthropic in that sense and you saw this on the news and you want to help—send $5, just $5 to an organization you trust to do this," Chmerkovskiy said, adding that a small donation is more helpful than organizations that send "a lot of stuff" which aid workers on the ground have to figure out how to manage and dispose of it.
Frankel then chimed in: "You can't trust every organization or relief effort, just the same way that you can't trust every business.
"If you think that every single business is run well and successful—great, if that's what you think of charity, but if you realize that every business is not run well and successful, you will realize that every philanthropic effort is not.
"So do your research into the way that you're investing your money, to invest in philanthropy."
Chmerkovskiy said: "What people don't realize, with conflict, with war, with a situation of this magnitude, you know how they say 'every little bit helps'—I don't know about that. 'Every little bit helps' makes it a messy situation."
Frankel praised her guest for his frank take on charity. "Thank you," she said. "I am so glad you said that, no one has said that."
The reality TV star then called out celebrities and others who mean well by sending a "trunk full of clothes" but that donations make it easier for her organization to provide regulated relief.
"Not to be negative to people who want to help," she added. "Go to your local school, church, get organized, collect everything, sort it, get volunteers then be like this: 'we have 100 -shirts in these sizes' and then we can merchandise them."
While on this topic, Chmerkovskiy called out people who donated "stained clothing" including clothes with urine stains and "past due food" and expired hand sanitizer.
He added that people who are using the war in Ukraine to clear out their closets are "not helping."
Listen to the full interview on Just B with Bethenny Frankel.
