Its Giving…

Tis’ the season! In this time of holiday stress and gift giving, one of the most important things we can do is give back. As fun as it is to get presents, or to give them to our loved ones, it can be incredibly rewarding to give to charity as well. While there are many worthy causes to give to, we’d like to highlight a few groups suffering and in need this holiday season. 

The first group we’d like to highlight are charities helping in occupied Palestine. If you are uninformed on the plight of the Palestinian people, there are many resources readily available. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began attacking Gaza on October 7, 2023, and has been relentlessly bombarding them since. This is not the first time Israel has launched such an attack, but it is one of the most brutal. At least 43,000 Gazans have died since October 2023, and over 101,000 injured, according to Al-Jazeera. 

The United States does fund Israel and provide weapons, and it is imperative that we on the ground do as much as we can to both help Palestine, and call out the government officials sanctioning these weapons. Beyond donating, you can familiarize yourself with your senators’ policies and stances, and call or email them to urge them to support a ceasefire. Below are some donation resources that are helping on the ground, both well established and newer grass roots movements. 

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund has been doing incredible work. Founded in 1991 in the U.S., they provide medical care to ill and injured Palestinian children in need. PCRF has also worked to establish two pediatric cancer departments in Palestine. Their vision is to secure a world where Middle Eastern children “have access to quality medical care, humanitarian aid, and specialized surgical procedures.” Currently their biggest campaigns are their Gaza Relief and Recovery, and providing assistance in Lebanon as well.

Medical Aid for Palestinians works with Palestinian communities and local organizations and partners to provide trusted aid and a wide range of both social and medical needs to the Palestinian people. Not only do they work to provide emergency services, but also look to ensure the services they can provide will be made long term. MAP was founded by Dr. Swee Chai Ang, who was working in a medical tent during the 1982 Lebanese attack on the Beirut refugee camp that housed unarmed Palestinians. When Dr. Ang was able to return to London, she joined fellow medical professionals and humanitarians to establish MAP.

United Nations Works and Relief Agency is currently working in both Palestine and Lebanon. They are the largest direct service provider to Palestinians at the moment, and provide medical relief, provision of cash assistance and basic food items, refugee education, health, economic growth, and gender equality. They work under the guidelines of their Sustainable Development Goals. These goals and their progress can be seen on their website, with detailed graphs and information. They are largely funded by the United Nations and its member states, as well as the European Union. Donations go towards Emergency Appeals, which assist with the displacement of Palestinian people, and provide food and water to them while they seek refuge.

Operation Olive Branch is a “grassroots nonprofit to amplify and support oppressed and occupied peoples on the quest to Collective Liberation,” according to their Instagram bio. They are best known for their spreadsheet, which has verified GoFundMe fundraisers for thousands of Gazan families. There have been people out there looking to use the Palestinian genocide as a means to scam, but Operation Olive Branch fully verifies each fundraiser so that you can be sure your money is going to help a real family in Gaza. The spreadsheet can be found in their Instagram bio, as well as with a simple Google search for Operation Olive Branch. Updates are provided on the spreadsheet, such as when goals are met and which campaigns need funds the most. 

There are many ways to help those suffering in Palestine, and any donation amount is appreciated. Remember to keep track of where your officials stand on the genocide, and continue the pressure for a ceasefire. When aid is unable to enter Palestine, political pressure is the next best action. Give thanks for your own safety this holiday season, and consider helping a family across the world as they survive through the unimaginable.

Another group in need are those in the United States affected by the floods in the Appalachians, and those on the coast affected by hurricane Helene. Helene was a category 4 hurricane when it hit the coast of Florida, but as it traveled inland, it stayed a category 2 hurricane, dumping historic amounts of rain over eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Places across western North Carolina received three day totals of rain over 20 inches, a once-in-1,000 year occurrence (meaning that it has a 0.1 chance of happening any given year, according to Scientific American). Some places you can donate to help are listed below. 

Cajun Navy Relief is a south Louisiana based volunteer group with a mission to help wherever and whenever they can. They do search and rescue, hurricane and disaster response, and debris clearing for those affected by natural disasters. They are looking for volunteers, supplies donations, and monetary donations as well. 

Operation Airdrop is no longer operating for Hurricane Helene, but it was their largest project to date. Their mission is for volunteer pilots and an aircraft fleet to use their planes to drop off supplies in areas affected by natural disasters. They aim to service smaller, more remote areas that FEMA can’t reach immediately. 

East Tennessee Foundation provides a neighbor to neighbor disaster relief fund, specifically to help those affected in eastern Tennessee. The donated funds are allocated to nonprofits and agencies currently providing aid. It was established in 1986, and has grown to support 25 counties via 500 charitable funds and eight supporting organizations. They help many causes across east Tennessee, aiming to better the community through education, grants and donations. Currently, they are taking donations for distribution via their charities for Hurricane Helene. 

Appalachian Voices is a nonprofit group working mainly towards creating clean energy and a more equitable ecosystem in the Appalachian region. They have offices in Boone, North Carolina; Charlottesville and Wise County, Virginia; and Knoxville, Tennessee. They use grassroots organizing and community engagement to change policy and do volunteer work. Currently, they are raising funds for central and southern Appalachia. Their website houses several different aid groups, and they have the option to donate goods such as food items and clothing. They do encourage those wanting to donate items to call the specific organization first and see what is needed, as many of them are no longer accepting general items. 

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is another grassroots relief network. They are community based as well, relying on volunteer support, and as the name states, mutual aid. According to their website, they consist of “eco-activists, social justice activists, global justice activists, street medics, herbalists, permaculturists, mutual aid organizers, Black liberation organizers, community organizers, and others … actively organizing around supporting disaster survivors.” They do work across the country through many disasters, including the recent hurricanes, both Helene and Milton, and the flooding in the Appalachians. They take monetary donations and are looking for volunteers as well. 

There are many organizations and causes to support during this time of year. Doing anything you can, even a small donation or a donation of your time to a local cause, is incredibly important. As the political tides change, mutual aid and grassroots organizing will have more of an impact on the lives of you and your neighbors. We wish you a fantastic holiday season and to be grateful for what you have, and give what you can where you can.