Thank you for clicking on my fundraising page! I will be running a half marathon (13.1 miles) on May 5th in NYC to raise money for Iraqi and Syrian refugee relief.
My inspiration
Last summer I was lucky enough to visit Iraq for the first time with my parents. It was incredible to see where my parents were born, meet new family members, and experience my own culture in a way I hadn't before.
Although I had a wonderful time, I was struck by the extent of crisis in Iraq. The impact of ISIS was harshly evident, despite never visiting a city once under their control. Driving from Mangesh (my dad's village) to Fesh Khabour (my mom's village) we passed what seemed like miles of run-down sheds. My mom told me that this is where many Yazidis, a minority ethnic group that endured some of the most severe atrocities, are living now that ISIS had ransacked their homes, destroyed their villages, and taken all their women and girls. Years later, these women and girls have not been returned or accounted for.
Seeing this is what sparked my need to do more, and my continued passion to follow through.
1.7 million Iraqis and over 250,000 Syrian refugees have been displaced by the crisis in Iraq. An additional 11.9 million have been displaced by the ongoing crisis in Syria (this is 65% of Syria's entire population).
Why I chose the International Rescue Committee
I have spent countless hours researching which charities are the most effective and trustworthy, with the most meaningful initiatives, and I am confident that the IRC is the right choice.
Their mission is to help people whose lives and livelihods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. They provide emergency supplies, support to recovery from violence and crisis, education and so much more.
They have earned the highest ratings from reputable charity evaluation resources, including 4 stars from Charity Navigator and an A from Charity Watch, based on finances, accountability and transparency, and more.
89-91% of donations go directly to help refugees and others in desperate need. That is unheard of for an organization this size, particularly in international aid, as overhead costs are typically higher in this category than others.
In addition to the incredible work they have already done in Iraq and Syria, they have clear, research-based plans to continue to provide as much crisis relief as possible in the coming years.
Read more on IRC's impact and plans:
Strategy Action Plan for Iraq: https://bit.ly/2FXvfXl
Impact in Iraq to date: https://bit.ly/2OU3LWG
Impact to date and current initiatives in Syria: https://bit.ly/2gF6eBy
Potential donation gifts (there are many, these are just some of my favorites):
$20 School supplies
$68 Emergency food for children
$80 Safe space for children
$110 Clean water
$200 Winter supplies for refugees
$500 Mobile medical clinics
Please contact me if you would like to provide one of these specific gifts instead of a general donation, or if you have any questions.
Thank you so much for your consideration!
