Eight leading U.S.-based international relief organizations have renewed their commitment to the Global Emergency Response Coalition, a lifesaving humanitarian alliance that mobilizes to help children and families affected by rapid-onset disasters. Originally created in April 2017 to broaden awareness of a hunger crisis affecting 20 million people across Africa and the Middle East, the Coalition will work to save lives by inspiring donors in the United States and quickly getting them involved when disasters strike.
Today, the need for urgent aid continues to expand. An increase in natural disasters, conflict-related refugees and food insecurity worldwide are all contributing to a humanitarian system that is dangerously underfunded. The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that one out of every 70 people around the world is in need of humanitarian assistance. And the need surrounding disasters is lasting longer than in previous year, now averaging nine years.
The Coalition is made up of eight leading global humanitarian organizations—CARE, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, Plan International USA, Save the Children and World Vision—with programmatic strengths across emergency food delivery, medical care, child protection and support, water and sanitation, recovery and more.
When disaster strikes, the Coalition will immediately mobilize to help children and families in urgent need, working together to increase awareness, raise funds and increase the capacity of each organization to deliver emergency relief quickly and efficiently, saving lives and helping to rebuild communities. Donations made to support the appeals, which generally will last only several weeks, will be divided equally among the eight participating organizations, which will coordinate efforts to help people survive and recover from the disaster.
Overseen by the leaders of the eight organizations, day-to-day operations of the Coalition will be run by a staff of three, led by Managing Director Gwen Young, who has 25 years of experience in international relief and development at such organizations as Africare, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Médecins Sans Frontières.
For more information about the Global Emergency Response Coalition, please visit www.globalemergencyresponse.org, or contact Managing Director Gwen Young at gwen.young@globalemergencyresponse.org or 202-463-7383, ext. 141.