Dear donor, with the news of a ceasefire and having reached the end of the year, we have looked back at our effort to support Palestinians and want to share what we were able to achieve with your help.
- 7 shipments of aid delivered
- 4 frontline groups received 507,612 aid items to use or distribute.
- Items included reusable menstrual hygiene kits w/ a personal LifeStraw water filter for women in Gaza; winter kits with sweaters, new shoes, and baby onsies for families in Gaza; school kits for displaced children in Lebanon; and medical equipment to both Gaza & Lebanon
- 7 aid donors in 5 US states and Scotland contributed to this response.
- Every $1 donated delivered $10 worth of aid!
Over the last year, our logistics team overcome some of the most challenging shipping in the world in response to the Genocide in Gaza. We focused on supporting Anera with medical, hygine, and winter weather aid. While the compliance was extremely strict and complicated, we have successfully delivered 240,000 items. This includes 2,800 winter kits with new shoes, sweaters, baby onsies, and more that you can see in the distribution photos attached to this post. We also sent highly needed medical items such as gloves, gauze, and bandages to support Anera’s medical field days. One of the biggest impacts we made was delivering 2,000 menstrual hygiene kits with reusable pads and a LifeStraw personal water filter, ensuring that thousands of women would have ongoing access to period sanitation.
In addition to opening an aid route to Gaza, we continued to support Lebanese people and Palestinian and Syrian refugees throughout the year. Thanks to your support, we were able to respond right away when the war expanded to Lebanon. We already had new clothing, hygiene items, and feminine pads in the country for immediate distribution by Anera. We also sent emergency medical items such as crash carts and nursing medical kits for displaced new mothers. Finally, we addressed the long-term consequences of war by shipping crutches, mobility walkers, and wheelchairs to support those left with chronic mobility disabilities from the bombings.
While we are cautiously optimistic about the cease-fire, the needs in both Gaza and Lebanon are still immense. The UN estimates that it will take at least 14 years to clear the rubble in Gaza, and the unexploded bombs trapped underneath. Distribute Aid is in it for the long haul, and we will continue to support our partners in the region by listening closely to their needs and sending them aid shipments throughout the recovery and rebuilding phase.
Thank you, again, for supporting displaced Palestinians in 2024, and we hope that you will continue your generosity in the years to come.
“The displaced people left their homes and couldn’t even take their necessities. With support from Distribute Aid, we distributed 800 hygiene and menstrual kits to shelters in Saida, which are housing lots of displaced individuals. As numbers continue to rise, we know more is needed to protect and support those affected by this crisis and a ceasefire is needed.” - Anera M&E Officer in South Lebanon regarding a shipment that we delivered to Lebanon in August!
Honoured Donor,
We are thrilled and deeply grateful to share that since our last update, we have successfully dispatched two airfreight shipments bound for Gaza! These goods, generously donated by Afya, LifeStraw, and Lifting Hands International, will be transported to Amman, Jordan and then trucked into Gaza as part of the regular convoys.
The shipments include:
- Medical Supplies: gloves, coveralls, Band-Aids, tongue depressors, cervical collars, and more.
- Hygiene Kits: LifeStraw Peak personal water filters, reusable menstrual hygiene pads from The Period Company, Earth Breeze laundry detergent sheets, Clean Life no-rinse body wash, soap bars, and feminine hygiene products.
- Assorted Baby, Clothing, and Shelter Items: baby diapers, baby blankets, nursing pillows, baby onesies (from Loved Infinitely), child towels, sleeping bags, blankets, and adult briefs.
In addition to these shipments going out, we have also been raising awareness about our Gaza Response and the continued needs, to be able to keep up support.
Here are some highlights:
- We hosted four fundraising events for our Gaza Response, featuring live music, silent auctions, and in-depth discussions.
- We connected in person with three partners who are actively engaged in our efforts. These in-person visits have already led to additional donations of medical aid and water filters for our projects!
This aid reaching Gaza and Lebanon is a direct result of your generosity. Thank you for being a vital part of our journey! 🌟
Honoured donor,
I'm thrilled to share that with the help of your donation, we have been able to make significant progress to support people affected by the war in Gaza.
- Two weeks ago we had a container of school supplies and hygiene items arrive in Beirut, which Anera will use to support families displaced by the border skirmishes in the south.
- Last week we had a container of new shoes and sweaters picked up, which will be delivered to Gaza just in time for Anera to begin winterization efforts to keep people on the move warm and dry.
- This week we got approval for 3 emergency airfreight shipments (including funding) that include medical items, menstrual kits, hygiene kits, water filters, and food serving containers. We expect those to go out over the course of the next month.
The logistics on this response have been the most challenging that I've ever seen, and I'm proud of the hard work my team has done to work through and get this aid delivered!
We still have donations in US that are much needed in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Your continued support makes it possible to deliver them.
Much love and gratitude-
Sara, Executive Director of Distribute Aid