International Relief
The most wonderful study of mankind is man. Relieving human suffering and diffusing universal knowledge is humanitarian - Daniel D. Palmer
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HWN Suggests
Don’t Get Upset When Relief Organizations Use Your Donations for Overhead
A recent article I wrote in Slate advising people to give money to organizations responding to Typhoon Haiyan (instead of emptying clothes closets and medicine cabinets) has received mixed reactions. My colleagues in humanitarian aid have enthusiastically nodded, calling and emailing to regale me with other stories of inappropriate goods being shipped to previous disaster zones: Boxes and boxes of tampons sent to remote communities where women don’t use tampons (they refashioned the plastic applicators as candle holders). Thermal tent heaters delivered to tropical climates. Pasta sent to places where people have never seen pasta. (They ended up eating it raw.)
But other readers outside…
Resources
Best Strategies for Disaster-Relief Giving
In the era of social media, charity begins the moment disaster hits. And that isn’t always a good thing—at least for some donors.
How This Scrappy, Entrepreneurial Charity Is Making A Big Difference In Puerto Rico
We’re like a small business where every expenditure has to be accounted for and every dollar has to pay for itself, except that our goal is to put ourselves out of business—to get our constituents on their feet and self-sufficient as soon as possible.
How You Can Help Refugees Around the World
But donors who want to help face questions familiar to aid organizations: How does one most effectively deploy limited sums of money to help the most people? Where is the need most dire?
Coding a Way Out of the Refugee Crisis
Apps for migrants to Europe are everywhere. But how much can they really help?
Help the Haitian People - You Still Can!
The 2010 earthquake was the worst to hit Haiti in over 200 years. Hollywood celebrities did what they do best. 'The Hope for Haiti Now' telethon shattered previous records for donations.
How to Detect Disaster-Relief Scams
Social media, crowdfunding are popular for fraud after disasters like Hurricane Harvey.
Please Don’t Send Your Old Shoes to the Philippines
Survivors of Typhoon Haiyan need your help. But send money, not your hand-me-downs.
The Red Cross Won’t Save Houston
It has proven itself unequal to the task of massive disaster relief. We need a new kind of humanitarian response.
Don’t Get Upset When Relief Organizations Use Your Donations for Overhead
Many people reluctant to give money seem perturbed by agencies spending donations just to keep the lights on. What’s important to remember is that dollars that go to operating costs or overhead make up a vital part of the response that is vastly more expensive than it is under normal circumstances: communication through satellite phones and Internet when traditional lines are out, renting cars which are less available and more costly after a crisis.
AmeriCares
Delivering medicines, medical supplies, and aid to people in crisis around the world.
Anera
ANERA addresses the long-term economic and social needs of Palestinians, Lebanese and Jordanians, and also provides relief during emergencies.
CARE
Our mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, we promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility.
CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation helps CDC do more, faster, by forging effective partnerships between CDC and others to fight threats to health and safety.
Convoy of Hope
At Convoy of Hope our goals are to provide help and hope to people in need in the United States and around world through our children''s feeding initiatives, community outreaches, disaster response and partner resourcing.
Direct Relief
Direct Relief International provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people victimized by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and throughout the world. We work to strengthen the in-country health efforts of our partners by providing essential material resources.
Doctors Without Borders
MSF is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in nearly 60 countries.
Doctors Worldwide
Our mission is to serve communities in need through the provision of sustainable medical relief and health based development programmes worldwide.
InterAction
InterAction is an alliance organization in Washington, D.C. of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Our 180-plus members work around the world. What unites us is a commitment to working with the world's poor and vulnerable, and a belief that we can make the world a more peaceful, just and prosperous place – together.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster.
Keep a Child Alive
With more than 28 million dead and 15 million orphaned, the disease continues, wiping out whole societies, threatening economic infrastructure and creating tragic family devastation. We provide life-saving medication, support, and orphan care, to keep these children and families alive. Keep a Child Alive gives 100%* of public donations to our cause.
MercyCorps
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
NetHope
NetHope enables humanitarian organizations to better serve the developing world through smarter use of technology. We help our member organizations collaborate, innovate, and leverage the full potential of information and communications technology to support their causes.
Oxfam
We believe we can end poverty and injustice, as part of a global movement for change.
Partners in Health
Our mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. By establishing long-term relationships with sister organizations based in settings of poverty, Partners In Health strives to achieve two overarching goals: to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need of them and to serve as an antidote to despair.
Plenty International
Believing that all life is connected and how we live affects the world, Plenty's founders were committed to creating an organization to help protect and share the world's abundance and knowledge for the benefit of all people.
Project Cure
PROJECT C.U.R.E. (Commission on Urgent Relief & Equipment) was founded in 1987 to help meet the need for medical supplies, equipment and services around the world. PROJECT C.U.R.E. builds sustainable healthcare infrastructure by providing the medical supplies and equipment that medical personnel need to deliver healthcare to their communities.
ReliefWeb
ReliefWeb has been the leading source for reliable and timely humanitarian information on global crises and disasters since 1996.
ReSurge International
ReSurge International (formerly Interplast) provides free reconstructive surgeries for the poor and builds year-round medical access in underserved areas. It restores the dreams of those with deformities and injuries, and impacts the world by renewing the health of thousands of children and adults each year so they can go to school, provide for their families and contribute to society.
Save the Children
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves.
Tearfund
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency working with a global network of local churches to help eradicate poverty.
UNICEF
UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.
War Child
War Child International is the joint initiative of War Child United Kingdom (UK), War Child Holland and War Child Canada. Although each organisation was founded – and operates – independently, we are brought together through our common vision and dedication to supporting children and young people affected by war. Together we are able to leverage our individual and collective strengths to reach more children and have a deeper impact. Collectively, we reach hundreds of thousands of children worldwide.
World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
Africare
Africare works in partnership with African communities to achieve healthy and productive societies. Africare's approach places communities at the center of development activities. Africare believes that only through strong communities can Africa feed itself, appropriately exploit its natural resources, educate, care and protect its children.
American Leprosy Missions
American Leprosy Missions has launched an extensive Deliver the Cure Campaign. The immediate goal for this important effort is to deliver a complete cure and critical rehabilitation for 25,000 children, men, and women with leprosy around the world '' before it is too late for them.
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, across the country, and across the world—in emergencies.
American Refugee Committee
The American Refugee Committee works with refugees, displaced people, and those at risk to help them survive crises and rebuild lives of dignity, health, security and self-sufficiency.
British Red Cross
We are a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are.
Canadian Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.
Catholic Relief Services
Our mission is to assist impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic Social Teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person.
Christian Horizons
Christian Horizons is a non-profit, Christian charitable organization. We seek to reach out with supports and friendship to persons who have exceptional needs. Our purpose is to contribute to the exceptional person''s quality of life by addressing his/her spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social and physical needs.
Clean Water for Haiti
Clean Water for Haiti is a volunteer run, faith based missions and humanitarian aid organization started in 2001. As a registered non-profit organization in Canada and the US, CWH works to provide sustainable solutions to the water crisis in Haiti.
Hope for Haiti
Through your generous donations and the helping hands of our family of volunteers and dedicated staff, is helping to improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of Haitian children and their families.
Lutheran World Relief
Lutheran World Relief works with partners in 35 countries to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods and recover from disasters.
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 70 countries.
Medical Missions for Children
Our mission is to help the world's critically ill children by providing medical diagnoses and treatment via telemedicine to children and mothers in underserved communities around the world and facilitating medical knowledge transfer from those who have it to those who need it.
Medical Teams International
We implement and support programs that address the causes and effects of inadequate health care. Our initiatives include training and education to build the skill and capacity of our partners, volunteers, staff and those we serve in order to produce sustainable change.
Mercy Medical Angels
MMA's mission is to ensure that no needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment for lack of a means of long-distance medical air transportation; further, to ensure the provision of urgent transportation in situations of compelling human need and homeland security emergencies.
MISS Foundation
We are a volunteer based organization committed to providing crisis support and long term aid to families after the death of a child from any cause. MISS also participates in legislative and advocacy issues, community engagement and volunteerism, and culturally competent, multidisciplinary, education opportunities.
Operation USA
Operation USA helps communities alleviate the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty throughout the world by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid. We provide material and financial assistance to grassroots organizations that promote sustainable development, leadership and capacity building, income generating activities, provide education and health services, and advocate on behalf of vulnerable people.
Refugee Council
The Refugee Council is one of the leading charities in the UK working directly with refugees, and supporting them to rebuild their lives. We also speak up for refugees using our direct work as an evidence base, and ensure refugees have a stronger and more influential voice in decisions that will affect them.
Remedy
We are a not-for-profit organization dedicated to actively promoting the recovery of unused medical supplies for the purpose of global aid, waste reduction, and cost-effectiveness. We seek to inspire and serve as a catalyst through education, practice and example.
Remote Area Medical
Founded in 1985, Remote Area Medical is a publicly supported all-volunteer charitable organization. Volunteer doctors, nurses, pilots, veterinarians and support workers participate in expeditions at their own expense. Medical supplies, medicines, facilities and vehicles are donated.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army's social service ministry seeks to meet human need in Christ's name; to alleviate human suffering, and to promote wholeness by addressing the spiritual, social, emotional, psychological and physical well-being of those served. Believing that caring is an expression of Christian love, it strives to empower people by helping those served assemble and discover choices. It bases its services on community needs, and works collaboratively with others in addressing those needs.
Samaritan's Purse
For over 35 years, Samaritan's Purse has done our utmost to follow Christ's command by going to the aid of the world's poor, sick, and suffering. We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Seva Foundation
Seva Foundation was formed in 1978 with a mission to alleviate suffering caused by disease and poverty. Our approach is to build partnerships that respond to locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions.
Singa France
Accompagner les réfugiés dans leur intégration socio-économique en apportant des solutions innovantes et en favorisant les échanges et la coopération avec la société d’accueil.
Techfugees
A tech community response to the European refugee crisis.
The Vijay Amritraj Foundation
The foundation brings hope, help and healing to the defenseless and innocent victims of disease, tragedy and circumstance in India.
USAID
The United States has a long history of extending a helping hand to people overseas struggling to make a better life. It is a history that both reflects the American people's compassion and support of human dignity as well as advances U.S. foreign policy interests.
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