Across Yemen and eastern Africa, prolonged drought, conflict, and economic insecurity have made it nearly impossible for millions to access food and water. Now, the global COVID-19 crisis poses additional threats to the health and financial wellbeing of families and individuals throughout the region. 

Thanks to the support of nearly 6,000 compassionate donors like you, our locally-led nonprofit partners in the region have changed countless lives in merely three years by helping their communities access the nutrition they need to thrive. Now, many are working tirelessly to support those most vulnerable to the impacts of the novel coronavirus. Our team is now closing this fund but will continue supporting our partners as effectively as possible in the face of this new challenge. Before we do, we wanted to share a few of the ways your generosity has already helped to change lives. 

SMEPS is leading a holistic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen by building on their deep-rooted understanding of their communities’ needs. In addition to distributing essential food supplies, they’re now providing 80 households with hygiene necessities such as soap and hand sanitizer. SMEPS is also offering crucial COVID-19 prevention and awareness training, ensuring that community members stay safe and healthy. 

Sanid Organization for Relief and Development is developing a health clinic which will support mothers and children facing food insecurity by providing free health care, offering education on proper nutrition, and increasing community awareness. More than 2,000 community members are already benefiting from their work, which will be even more crucial as families cope with the many impacts of COVID-19. 

We can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done to support these successes, and we invite you to join us in celebrating the incredible compassion, dedication, and perseverance of all the partners in this fund. As we turn our attention to alleviating the impacts of COVID-19 around the world, we know we can count on you to continue supporting the creation of a better world. 

An anonymous GlobalGiving donor said it best: “The world is tied together. The minute you realize this it makes sense to do your part in helping it stay together. Therein lies our most fundamental purpose.” 

Thank you for all you do to elevate community-led change during these uncertain times. Through solidarity, we can overcome any crisis. 

Stay safe and take care,

Nicole Gieselman + the GlobalGiving Team

Since a series of devastating earthquakes and a tsunami struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province on September 28, 2018, our partners have been on the ground supporting survivors. From distributing emergency supplies to offering health care to supporting local journalism, their efforts—and the compassion of nearly 5,000 generous donors like you—have helped thousands of individuals in Central Sulawesi rebuild their homes, their lives, and their communities. 

Now, people in Central Sulawesi and across the globe must face a new challenge: overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this virus has impacted all of our lives, communities recovering from disasters are especially vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. Thankfully, our locally-led nonprofit partners have already been helping their communities develop the resilience needed to survive this global crisis. 

After successfully building a school that will support the education of more than 100 students, Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) has pivoted its efforts to organize a Corona Crisis Center. The organization is providing education about the disease and managing the distribution of free food aid, personal protective equipment for health officers, masks, and hand sanitizer.

Yayasan Usaha Mulia established 50 business groups in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi. Representatives from each group had the opportunity to attend training workshops on entrepreneurship, management, and finance. Not only will these skills be invaluable in the face of the economic difficulties COVID-19 presents, but participants also have the foundation they need to build a successful business and support themselves and their families in the future. 

Bali Life Foundation has played a key role in ensuring that individuals in Indonesia have access to clean water and electricity by setting up generators, water tanks, and temporary shelters for schools and communities in the area. This infrastructure is all the more critical as health regulations have become increasingly strict. 

In just two short years, our partners in Indonesia have made incredible progress in supporting and rebuilding their communities. As our team celebrates their successes and  turns our efforts to alleviating the impacts of COVID-19 worldwide, we are now closing the Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Fund—and we have a favor to ask:

Now more than ever, we need your help to continue fostering resilience around the world. When you give to our Coronavirus Relief Fund, you provide life-saving support for heroic healthcare professionals and the communities and individuals that are most at risk across the globe. 

We can’t thank you enough for choosing to support community-focused, locally led organizations, especially during these challenging times. Together, we can continue to foster hope in the face of any obstacle. 

Stay safe and take care,

Nicole + the GlobalGiving Team

In the midst of a global pandemic, it can be difficult to remember the disasters that took place not long ago. The 2019 California Wildfire season devastated local communities. In addition to the flames, the state-wide electricity shut offs had a disproportionate impact on immigrants, low-income families, and persons with disabilities. 

Your generous support of the California Wildfire Relief Fund enabled first responders and local community-led nonprofits to not only provide immediate relief, but also to ignite the hard work of long-term recovery and building resilience—an incredibly important goal as residents affected by the wildfires now face the impacts of COVID-19 and another fast-approaching fire season. 

Here are a few highlights of how our partners have been hard at work: 

Northern California

The Kincade Fire burned through Sonoma County for more than two weeks, prompting the largest mass evacuation in the county’s fire season history. To the credit of many local nonprofits, various at-risk communities such as immigrant workers were able to receive life-saving information in their native languages. Thanks in part to your generosity, the Community Foundation of Sonoma County was also able to help displaced residents access food, stabilize their housing situations, and begin the recovery process when it was safe to return after the fire. 

Additionally, the United Way of the Wine Country paid close attention to the losses of families beyond damaged homes. The organization has focused on the subtle ways this crisis has left an impact, including the lost wages, loss of perishable food in the evacuation period, and the blow to small businesses. In the months since the fire, the United Way is ensuring that these trauma-affected communities know how to access recovery resources and are better prepared for upcoming fire seasons. 

Southern California

As a far-sweeping blaze drove thousands to evacuate from the dry hills overlooking the California coast, the Los Angeles Fire Foundation used an emergency grant from GlobalGiving to replace outdated safety gear and equipment as their network of firefighters responded to the encroaching fires. These new supplies are helping to fill a growing need to revamp response capabilities needed to keep communities safe. 

In a landscape dotted with ranches and small family farms, the Humane Society of Ventura County rescued hundreds of animals as residents evacuated fires across Ventura. From goats to horses, dogs, and birds, these animals were brought to safety with the help of a new trailer purchased with GlobalGiving donations such as yours. 

While all of us are currently experiencing a global crisis, the stories of local response and recovery efforts after disasters such as the California wildfires reflect the resilience of the human spirit, and show us just how far individual generosity and hope can go.

Thank you, as always, for supporting a community-led, long-term approach to disaster recovery.

With gratitude,

Andrea + the GlobalGiving Team