Be a Super Friend for our children in Venezuela!

2020 was an unprecedented year and feels like is not over. For those in Venezuela already struggling with a complex humanitarian crisis, it was inconceivable to have an additional crisis as a result of Covid-19.

We believe this pandemic year has showed all how vulnerable we are all despite some sense of stability and confidence. For our local teams, like for many of those in Venezuela, 2020 showed them how resilient and fearless they were, in a the middle of a pandemic, to still ensure the education, nutrition and health of our children. Our admiration and gratitude for such devotion and heroic work that is also possible thanks to the support of hundreds of donors, both individual and organizationals, that contributed to the following results:

• $680,627 were raised in Total Revenues, that is -5% compared to 2019 results but still a major difference from 2018 ($129,924), the very first full year of Friends’ activities

• 8,979 children benefited from our program at the pediatric hospital in Valencia, a 25% decrease mainly forced by several lockdowns and reduced free movement among the population.

• +300 health care workers were also benefited on a daily basis by Friends’ support, specially with PPE and critical medical supplies and equipment highly needed in a pandemic year.

• ,A least 90% of all Covid-19 efforts and resources in 2020 to fight and prevent the pandemic at the Jorge Lizarraga Pediatric Hospital, did come from Friends.

• 1,810 school-age children and teachers also benefited from our daily balance meal program, same as in 2019 and until schools were also forced to close and move to remote virtual education.

• $439,017 were collected in Monetary Donations, a +90% compared to 2019 figure. This a major increase and similar to 2019, driven by several grants from individual donors, humanitarian aid organizations, charitable organizations such as 501(c)(3) non-profit foundations, and grant-making or umbrella organizations.

• Grants increased by 91% and contributed with 92% of all monetary donations in 2020. Like in 2019, no monetary donation in 2020 was allocated to administration expenses but exclusively to the implementation of Friends’ programs.

• Major levels of efficiency: 99 cents of every dollar Friends spent went directly to execute our programs and accomplish our mission.

• $115,510 worth of In-kind Donations were collected, a -70% compared to 2019. This major drop is mainly explained by several, large drives and organizational's donations from 2019 that Friends was not able to replicate in 2020.

• A total of 24 shipments from the USA to Venezuela in 2020 (mostly secure, door-to-door sea shipments), exactly the same number in 2019 (excluding 6 shipments from Europe in 2019).

• A total of 1,647 cubic feet in shipments in 2020, this is 31% more in volume compared to the entire 2019 shipments or 34% more when compared to a 20’ sea container. Overall less shipments but on average, larger ones (in volume) in 2020.

Our work is far from over. We are all still fighting Covid-19 and a complex humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. We thank you very much for your support during 2020 and we hope we can continue joining forces in 2021.

Cordially, Paolo

PS. We will be releasing our 2020 Annual Report in the weeks to come. We look forward to sharing it with you!

Links:

• How the Pandemic Deepened a Humanitarian Crisis
• Lives turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Venezuela's humanitarian crisis has only worsened under-covid-19