Italy Earthquake Relief Fund

Just over a year has passed since the 6.2M earthquake hit Central Italy resulting in loss of human life and destruction to cultural heritage, family homes, and infrastructure throughout towns in the Umbria, Lazio, and Marche regions.

In August 2016, your donation assisted in the immediate relief and contributed to long term rebuild efforts over the course of the last year. We are inspired by the work that our nonprofit partners have accomplished, and are impressed with the additional commitments and plans they have made for the upcoming year.  Your generosity has helped youth, families, and communities in a critical period of need, and we are happy to share with you the following examples.

• Slow Food International/Terra Madre Foundation is supporting local farmers, whose land was devastated by the earthquake, to restore their livelihoods and increase long term food security for the region.
• On September 5, 2017, Fondazione Francesca Rava Nph Italia Onlus inaugurated a secondary school in Norcia (in addition to the kindergarten and primary school). They also funded several student scholarships, and implemented school programs to help children recover emotionally from the devastation, and have committed to build two additional schools in Umbria.
• On May 25th, Mission Bambini, inaugurated a new canteen for the school in Cittareale. The canteen provides 100 meals a day, which accounts for 25% of the population in this small village that was devastated by the earthquake.
• In addition to their immediate relief work prioritizing women, children, and people with disabilities, ActionAid Italy has created a national network for accountability of reconstruction with their partners. The platform, Ricostruzione Transparente, collects and reviews reconstruction data to make sure funds are used effectively.  They are also creating tools for citizens to use the platform as a way to communicate with the government.
• IBO Italia implemented their summer camps for children living in areas affected by the earthquake. The purpose was to help children who had lost friends and connections due to the earthquake and to rebuild a sense of community for youth while working through psychological stress.
• IsraAID arrived 36 hours after the earthquake to provide search and rescue, emergency aid, psychosocial support, they stayed through the first winter to provide clothes,food, campers, and heaters for families still living in camps, In the spring they worked with local partners to  implement trainings for community leaders to build resilience. This month they will send therapists to work with the communities.  

Don't forget - GlobalGiving is matching all donations directly to these projects working on earthquake recovery in Italy at 100% until funding runs out. 

We thank you for your contributions over the past year. Resources are on the ground to assist Italy with the recovery, and we are grateful for your support and compassion. Thanks to your generosity, people affected by the earthquake will be supported in the years to come as the rebuilding of structures, livelihoods, and communities continues.

It’s been six months since a devastating 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy. Since then, tremors and earthquakes have continued to rattle the nation, and many affected communities are enduring a harsh winter. Because of this, ongoing rebuilding and recovery efforts are more challenging.

To recognize the six-month mark since the August 2016 earthquake in central Italy, starting February 24th at 9am EST GlobalGiving will be matching donations 100% to Italy earthquake relief projects found here:

https://www.globalgiving.org/leaderboards/italy-earthquake-matching-2017/

Thanks to thousands of generous donors like you, our nonprofit partners have continued to provide immediate relief, like shelter and clothing, as well as taking part in long-term recovery efforts like rebuilding damaged schools. Here are the latest updates from projects that your donation has supported:

• Immediately after the earthquake struck in August 2016, the Italian Red Cross delivered emergency relief, like meals, mobile kitchens, and basic supplies. The organization continues to provide earthquake information and advice for people in affected areas as aftershocks continue to rock the region.
• IsraAID is supporting “families still living in relief camps by distributing much needed winter supplies as temperatures plummet to -18 Celsius” (-0.4 Fahrenheit). On survivor said to the IsraAID team when they returned with a new round of supplies, "I'm very happy to see you again...it is a gift for us when we, the Amatrice community, need it the most.”
• Mission Bambini continues to rebuild schools and has taken on a project to rebuild a canteen and kitchen for a school that was completely destroyed. When the canteen is built, the students will be able to have hot meals again during school days.
• ActionAid supported and promoted coordination efforts when the initial earthquake struck. Their team focus was placed on increasing transparency for how rebuilding efforts were coordinated and managed. The team then started a service offering legal advice to citizens regarding post-earthquake support.
• Fondazione La Stampa Specchio dei tempi onlus has been focused on rebuilding schools that were damaged or destroyed in Arquata del Tronto.
• Fondazione Francesca Rava Nph Italia Onlus is focused on rebuilding three schools: a kindergarten for 125 children, a secondary school for 180 students, and a primary school for 225 children.
• IBO ITALIA is transporting volunteers and supplies to relief camps where citizens’ homes, livelihoods, schools, and churches were destroyed. They are also planning a summer camp for children that survived the earthquake to get away from the area providing “a serene and carefree environment with leisure activities that will help them, psychologically and behaviorally, to relieve stress and fear accumulated over the last months.”

Thank you for supporting these projects through the GlobalGiving Italy Earthquake Relief Fund! These vetted GlobalGiving partners were there for the immediate relief efforts and continue to stick by communities in Italy to provide ongoing recovery and rebuilding.

Please #StandWithItaly, donate to one of the eligible projects, and share with your friends and family!