He who sees the calamity of other people finds his own calamity light. – Arabic proverb
The Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) is proud to announce the formation of our Disaster Relief Fund – dedicated to quickly responding to the needs of those suffering from a humanitarian or environmental crisis. In the past, we have appealed to our community to support relief efforts in Gaza, Haiti, Japan and Somalia, collecting more than $11,000 for organizations such as the American Red Cross, ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid) and Doctors Without Borders. Now, as part of CAAP’s effort to be proactive, we have established a disaster relief matching fund thanks to contributions from our Professional Advisory Board members and other individuals.
In the wake of a disaster, we will conduct online fundraisers to raise contributions from individuals. Then, we will leverage these contributions by matching them 25 cents to the dollar up to the first $5,000. For the purposes of this fund, CAAP defines disaster as “natural events such as earthquakes, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, fires and floods, but also more complex emergencies that result in widespread human suffering such as famine and civil conflict.” Disaster relief grants will be made to vetted 501©3 humanitarian agencies, and focus on providing aid during the initial three to four months following the disaster when basic survival needs must be met such as medical aid, water, food, sanitation, housing and clothing.
All donors who give through CAAP to support disaster relief make a larger and more effective impact by leveraging their contribution with others as part of a national movement to increase the visibility of Arab American philanthropy. Visit our website to stay up to date on CAAP’s disaster relief activities.
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Photo courtesy U.S. Pacific Fleet