Charity Spotlight - International Rescue Committee
Today we’d like to spotlight the International Rescue Committee and their efforts in serving people whose lives have been upended by war, conflict and natural disasters. This charity was selected by Lauren of Stone House Creative - one of our Camp Rover Conference Flower Friend Panelists.
If you didn’t already know this is something we do with each speaker we bring on; we want to give back to causes that matter to the people that matter to us.
What does International Rescue Committee focus on in their efforts to serve the community?
“We work in countries where people don’t have the support they need to recover from crisis.
We respond within 72 hours, staying to help countries stabilize and people rebuild their lives.
We resettle refugees welcomed by the United States, helping them to succeed and thrive.
The IRC will put in place high-impact, cost-effective solutions that help people affected by crisis. We'll also use our learning and experience to shape humanitarian policy and practice in ways that improve the lives of more people worldwide. And in all of our work we will focus on breaking down each of the barriers faced by women and girls.” - International Rescue Committee (website)
How did International Rescue Committee come to be?
”Since the International Rescue Committee (IRC) was first founded at the request of Albert Einstein in 1933, our global team of more than 17,000 staff have helped people upended by conflict and crisis to survive, recover, and regain control of their lives. Today we work in more than 50 countries and over 25 U.S. and European cities, from conflict-affected countries like Yemen to resettlement communities like Boise, Idaho.
We focus our support in five areas: ensuring safety from harm, improving health, increasing access to education, improving economic wellbeing, and ensuring people have the power to influence decisions that affect their lives. In all our programming, we address the unique needs of women and girls (who represent the majority of those displaced)—and the barriers to progress everywhere we work.” - International Rescue Committee (website)
What are the biggest challenges that International Rescue Committee face?
“The challenges that almost all humanitarian health organizations face are situations of extreme violence against civilians, particularly when healthcare facilities and personnel become targets in the conflict.
At times, individuals in these settings must forgo compliance with core ethical commitments, choose to comply with one ethical obligation at the expense of another, or to take an action where no obviously right action exists. For example, when a hospital is attacked and cannot continue operations, is it better to rebuild at the same location or move to a safer one farther away—even when doing so may hinder access to health care for some individuals and communities? How much deference should be shown to local communities that do not want a hospital nearby because they may be at risk of further shelling or bombing from targeted campaigns?” - International Rescue Committee Report (website)
Do you have a current fundraiser or program you'd like to share with the Camp Rover Community?
“Join the thousands of IRC supporters who have called their representatives, written letters, shared our campaigns, or otherwise mobilized to advocate for change in their communities and worldwide.
The IRC’s growing community of 250,000 advocates have mobilized to make over 10,000 personal phone calls to their members of Congress since the beginning of 2018. Their voices are keeping refugee issues at the forefront, and are forcing legislators to pressure the U.S. administration to uphold America’s legacy of welcome.” - Take Action, International Rescue Committee (website)
How can the Camp Rover Community give back to International Rescue Committee ? What needs do you need to be filled right now?
“We can’t stop conflicts and disasters from happening. But, with your help, we can reach as many people as possible at the very onset of a crisis, when their homes are no longer safe, and we can stay long afterwards.
By making a monthly gift, you are helping to ensure IRC teams are prepared to take action within 72 hours of an emergency, delivering shelter, food and medicine to children and families. And you are helping to ensure we can stay as long as we are needed, helping families to not only survive, but also recover and rebuild their lives.
Responding to the world's worst humanitarian crises takes a dedicated group of people: people like you who believe in the power of collective action. With your continued support we can have a lasting, positive impact on those we serve, year round.” - How to Help, International Rescue Committee (website)
Any closing thoughts or advice for the Camp Rover Community?
“Humanitarian needs resulting from the war in Ukraine demand unwavering global solidarity. As the initial response loses momentum, the international community needs to scale up its efforts to invest in longer term solutions to ensure that empower refugees to make informed decisions about their future and protect those who have remained in Ukraine.
A grant by Google.org and a Google.org Fellowship team is helping the IRC support United for Ukraine, an information portal and civil society effort that helps displaced people find access to critical services. The initiative is part of the IRC’s Signpost Project, a global humanitarian technology program operating in 15 countries that helps refugees find resources to meet their urgent needs.
By September 2023, the IRC has reached over 860,000 people in Ukraine directly and through our online services.
The IRC is responding along the entire arc of the crisis, assisting Ukrainian refugees in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia and Bulgaria, as well as in Germany, Italy, Greece, the US and the UK.” - Latest Crises & Issues, International Rescue Committee (website)
Want to give financially International Rescue Committee? You can find their donation page here!
Want to support them on their socials?
You can find International Rescue Committee on their Instagram, Facebook or website.
Have a charity or non-profit you’d like us to spotlight? We’d love to! Fill out our Google Form to submit your cause.
Donation Note: All donations will be going to each charity agreed to - via our speaker contracts - post Camp Rover Conference 2024.
