“Best of luck!”

“Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing!”

“Sending health and wellness.”   

These are just some of the messages we have received alongside donations from our supporters; people who recognize that vulnerable communities around the world need our help during this pandemic – and are looking to lend a hand.

Back in March, we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from donors when we first launched the Coronavirus Outbreak Fund (now called the COVID-19 Relief Fund). Teams and companies have since joined in, totaling over $1 million for our Charity Alliance partners responding to COVID-19. This support ensures they have the supplies and resources they need to care for individuals and communities regardless of nationality, ethnicity or income.

Whether you supported the COVID-19 Relief Fund through contributing, sharing it on social media or spreading the word among friends, family and coworkers, we say want to say this: thank you. This has been a challenging year and it means so much to see so many people and communities coming together to help fight COVID-19.

There’s another opportunity for you to get involved and make a difference coming up next month! This Dec. 1 is GivingTuesday – a global day of giving that falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year.  The kick-off to end-of-year giving, this movement is all about coming together and doing some good alongside people around the world.

As we prepare to enter 2021 while still facing a pandemic, we can’t think of a better way to join in on Giving Tuesday than by supporting the COVID-19 Relief Fund. Not only will you be joining a community of people looking to make a difference in the world, you’ll be providing critical relief where it’s needed most. Cases continue to rise and resources are spread thin, but our charity partners are still combating the primary and secondary challenges posed by COVID-19 – including providing direct medical care, helping governments respond and protect citizens, educating children and feeding families, and much more.

As you consider what your Giving Tuesday involvement will look like, we want to remind you of the power of your gift by showing you what it’s already done for these charities and the people they serve during this time. With your help, we’ve distributed over $1 million to support:

Prevention and awareness campaigns
Organizations like CARE went to work early in the pandemic to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in rural communities, sharing vital information about proper handwashing and social distancing through radio outreach and posters. Today, they’re helping entrepreneurs adapt their business models and equipping essential workers with the supplies they need to stay safe while helping others.

$480 covers one medical student’s tuition for a six-month term – CARE 

Frontline health services

International Rescue Committee Workers examine a pregnant woman.

International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of our many partners on the frontlines, providing life-saving health care services to vulnerable communities. They’re also using cash and voucher distributions to get supplies to families while supporting the local economy.

$5,000 trains five community health workers to identify, refer and treat people for communicable diseases in refugee camps – IRC

Addressing secondary impacts of the virus

A man carries two World Vision boxes.

World Vision is working to support at-risk children because they know COVID-19 creates secondary effects such as food scarcity, limited healthcare and lost opportunities for education and family incomes. Their country teams are checking in on families and providing basic supplies to keep kids happy and healthy, as are many of our charity partners.

$26 can provide a two month’s supply of antibacterial soap for a family in need – World Vision

And the work doesn’t stop there! Nearly 60 of our Charity Alliance partners are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic across all kinds of needs and landscapes. Here are some ways to learn more and get involved as we near this year’s Giving Tuesday:

  • Interested in giving again, or want to join us in supporting these charities’ great work? Visit our fund page and make a difference. 
  • Unable to give to the fund but want to support this critical work? Share with friends and family or on social media using @GivingTuesday and #GivingTuesday. That’s the power of GivingTuesday – collectively we can all create a huge impact. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and keep an eye on our Giving Tuesday posts.
  • Interested in learning more about our charities’ work responding to COVID-19? Follow our Give Global Blog for tons of great charity stories and information.