Matching Grant starts in just a few hours!

Donna Baranski-Walker — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:15:36 GMT

Al Aqaba schoolchildren with their origami

Thank you so much for your past support of Rebuilding Alliance's workl We've used every dollar donated to remarkable results. I ask for your help once again.

In just a few hours time, GlobalGIving will match by 30% every dollar donated, up to $1000. They have $100,000 to give away in just 24hrs on Wednesday Oct. 19th, Eastern Time.

We need your help to rebuild Palestinian homes, schools, playgrounds, libraries. Please go to www.RebuildingAlliance.org and click DonateNow. Our Rebuilding to Remain project starts in the West Bank -- we'll bring it to Gaza, I promise.

Please donate as early in the day as you can, before the funds run out.

Questions, suggestions? Please call me at 650 325-4663.

P.S. Your donation, large or small, really matters. GlobalGiving is providing a grant to the project with the most donors, and also a grant to the project that raises the most donations. We can do it... last time Rebuilding Alliance came in second. This time, help us to win!

P.P.S. One of our earlier GG Match projects helped create housing for teachers in Al Aqaba village. Here are photos of the Japanese teacher who came this past Sunday to give the children an overview of Japan!

Yuhki Ohnogi, a visiting teacher from Japan

What music!

Links:

Our latest video, Rebuilding to Remain

FINGERS CROSSED – AMERICAN CARGO HEADED FOR GAZA!

Penina Eilberg-Schwartz — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:45:02 GMT

Street in front of Al Basma Club in Gaza City

Dear friends,

Since you donated for More than Chocolates for Gaza, much has happened. We set out with such hope as one of the only American NGO’s with cargo aboard the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. Our cargo included not only the sports equipment and school supplies that you bought for Al Basma Club for the Disabled, but cement provided by a last-minute donor. This cement was intended to build a kindergarten for the Yebna Charitable Society and a retaining wall around the Unity Club Soccer Field in Rafah.

As you know, tragedy ensued when the Israeli Navy attacked in the middle of the night and nine lives were lost. Due to the Rebuilding Alliance's unique position, we engaged our networks to try and locate the missing people. A few days later, our cargo left on the Irish MV Rachel Corrie, late due to mechanical trouble. The Israeli Navy boarded the ship without incident and towed the ship and its passengers, against their will, to Ashdod, Israel.

Now, however, we are writing with limited good news...

Free Gaza Ireland just signed a letter to the UN, at the UN's request, asking that they deliver all goods aboard the MV Rachel Corrie to Gaza. In the meantime, we sent volunteer Kate Gould to meet with all our projects, including Al Basma Club for the Disabled. While there, she also met with UNRWA Gaza Director John Ging, who expressed his support.

We remain in touch with the UN, our partners at Free Gaza Ireland, and our NGO partners in Gaza to monitor the situation. We indeed hope that the materials will be delivered soon, and to the NGOs we hoped to support. We provided an American reporter now in Gaza with our contacts to monitor the cargo entry and find out if any other building materials are being allowed in under the current blockade policy. So far, he's not seeing anything.

Still, we are heartened by your support and by the good will we have encountered in many places throughout this process. Khaled Nasrallah, one of our partners and an UNRWA social worker told us, "The children of Yebna have been waiting, as they were eager to build their kindergarden. The children in Al Basma were waiting for their toys, and the disabled were waiting for their wheelchair and sports machines. We have been all waiting to see the smiles on their faces."

Craig Corrie once said, "You have to give people in government positions the opportunity to do the right thing." This is what we continue to do with this project, and we will continue to keep you informed of its status.

Thank you for your support!

Hazim Abu Halloub, beneficiary of Al Basma

Eid Shaqura, Chairman of Al Basma Club

Links:

GlobalGiving.org: More Than Chocolates for Gaza

Matching Grant starts in just a few hours!

FINGERS CROSSED – AMERICAN CARGO HEADED FOR GAZA!