I continue to be haunted by this photo of 3-year-old Aylan, who drowned trying to escape war in Syria.
My son sleeps in his own bedroom in a Victorian home in a quiet, safe suburb of San Francisco. What would I do if my family had to endure the terror of war? What risks would I take? I cannot even imagine. Instead I tear up and feel such sadness.
After much research, I have decided to take action and fundraise for refugees on behalf of the International Rescue Committee. When an emergency arises, the IRC arrives on the scene within 72 hours with urgently needed supplies and expertise that protect people caught in the midst of chaos. They commit to stay as long as needed, helping survivors to heal, recover and rebuild their communities to be stronger, more stable and more democratic. IRC teams provide health care, infrastructure, learning and economic support to people in more than 40 countries, with special programs designed for women and children. Of every $1 the IRC spends, more than 90¢ goes to programs and services that directly benefit refugees and communities affected by war or disaster.
Ratings
- The American Institute of Philanthropy gives the IRC an A+.
- Forbes gives the IRC high ratings for program efficiency and fundraising efficiency.
- The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance notes the IRC meets all 20 of its standards.
- Charity Navigator awards the IRC four stars, its highest rating.
Please join me in this global effort. I have 1,000 Facebook friends and 10,000 Twitter followers. If everyone gave $10 (almost the price of a work lunch in Chicago, New York or San Francisco), our total contribution could be really meaningful. Please pass this link on to others who are also struggling with how to help.
http://diy.rescue.org/change_for_refugees
Thank you so much for reading and considering a donation. I have the best blog followers on the planet!
Most definitely will be checking out and thank you so much, Catherine for sharing info about this cause here.
Thanks for this post. Catholic Relief Services is another great choice for donating to the refugee effort and also has an A+ charity rating.
You are awesome. I will be passing this on to “my people.” Which is my people, of course, and Cassidy. He is pretty awesome at donating. He uses my wallet too.
Thank you so much for this and for helping to raise awareness, Catherine. That photo is a knife in my heart 🙁 So incredibly sad.
that is just so heartbreaking, and i’m glad that you blogged about this. i’m also glad you mentioned charity navigator and other charity ratings. I always like to check and do my due diligence after having some awful experiences in the past.