With the vast number of crises around the globe, this year has seen the highest number of refugees since World War II. Whether it's due to natural disasters, conflict, or political pressure, great numbers of individuals have had to abandon their homes, and many have resettled in the United States. Planet Aid works with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help people who were forced to leave their native countries have resources to rebuild their lives here.
"The donations that [Planet Aid] provides go directly to women, men and children coming from war torn nations as far away as Burma,
Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and 13 other countries."
-IRC Resettlement Manager Augustin Ntabaganyimana.
Planet Aid began donating clothing to the IRC's Silver Spring, MD office last summer, a partnership now benefitting thousands of refugees in the area. "The refugees we serve face a challenging journey, even after they arrive in the United States," explains IRC in Silver Spring Executive Director, David Godsted. "They have very little time to become acclimated, learn English, and most importantly, obtain that first job. The resources that exist in order to assist in them in this journey are scarce. The partnership we have with Planet Aid is very important in that each donated item our clients receive represents an item they would otherwise have to purchase with those scarce resources. That extra income can then be diverted towards other critical expenses, notably rent and child care."
The partnership has now also expanded to include IRC offices in Charlottesville, Virginia and in the New York area.
The IRC, established at the request of Albert Einstein during WWII, has over 80 years of experience in helping individuals affected by conflict and turmoil. To learn more about this organization, you can visit their website or the Facebook page for their Silver Spring operation.