Your impact in 2018: Humanitarian aid and crisis relief

In 2018, you were quick to respond when natural disasters struck. You gave generously to provide critical relief to refugees. And you made sure that people in poverty had access to lifesaving resources like food and medical care.

Your compassionate giving helped ship 63 containers of aid — more than any year before — to 12 countries around the world. And you saved thousands of people’s lives. Thank you for making such an incredible impact for people in need.

When a volcano erupted and devastated a number of villages in Guatemala, you acted quickly and helped provide essentials like food, medical aid, and other emergency supplies. You helped victims of this terrible tragedy survive the worst day of their lives and helped them find the will to push forward and begin rebuilding again.

Hurricanes Florence and Michael brought destruction a bit closer to home, and again you extended a helping hand to those who had lost everything. You provided healthy meals, bottled water, hygiene kits, and more … bringing much-needed relief to survivors whose homes had been destroyed in the terrifying storms.

Natural disasters aren’t the only things that force people from their homes, though. Refugees in Iraq, Syria, Uganda, and other countries have lost everything they own. And resources are stretched thin since refuges have spent several years living in the camps.

Unfortunately, to much of the world, the refugee crisis is “old news” and help has stopped arriving. But you didn’t forget the refugees in need. In 2018, you helped provide critical relief to 133,914 refugees — helping sick children receive the medical care they needed, feeding hungry families, and giving vital protection during the cold, winter months.

You also helped ship food and other aid to three new countries this year — Zambia, Rwanda, and Nicaragua.

Part of the food shipment to Rwanda arrived at Star School, which also serves as a home for over 300 children from poor communities. Rev. Samuel Kandole, headmaster at the school, was overjoyed to see the shipment of food arrive. He feels the burden of caring for these children in a country where resources are often scarce.

“If there is anything essential here, it is food,” he said.

Food is one of the most important things you help provide. The long-lasting and nutrient-dense meals help prevent malnutrition and are often the key to long-term health, especially for children. Because of you, 6,823,570 meals were shipped to countries where hunger is one of the more common causes of death for children under 5.

Your generosity literally helped save people’s lives! You have truly made an incredible impact.

In just one year, the lives of 769,469 people were transformed through your gifts of food, medical care, disaster relief, and more — that’s a lot of help and hope!

Thank you for helping to keep people alive while sharing the love of Jesus Christ.