Emergencies often leave entire communities in need of urgent assistance to survive and recover. They also threaten efforts and advances in communities' economic, health, and social progress.
When emergencies occur, rapid assistance can save and improve lives. We help effective relief agencies and local organizations respond quickly.
These agencies have the ability to meet people’s most pressing needs in challenging conditions. For example, they can:
- Deliver food and clean water.
- Improve sanitation.
- Provide medical attention and shelter.
- Prevent or minimize outbreaks of disease.
We work with relief agencies that have longstanding experience and local relationships. These agencies can deliver assistance within days—when needs are most crucial and an immediate response can make the greatest difference.
For example, we've provided emergency assistance to:
People affected by flooding in India.
Flooding in August 2008 led to severe damages in Bihar, one of the poorest states in India. We supported the
U.S. Fund for UNICEF to help rapidly deliver food, water, shelter, and basic medical and hygiene supplies to the area. In addition,
UNICEF sent staff to work directly with local officials in the most affected areas. It is also working to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases, which have usually accompanied flooding in this area.
People affected by the global food crisis.
We supported
Catholic Relief Services,
Mercy Corps,
Oxfam America, and the
World Food Programme in responding to hunger, malnutrition, and poverty caused by rising food prices. These groups are delivering nutritious food to those most in need and providing opportunities for families to increase their food production or incomes to purchase food.
People in Nairobi, Kenya, endangered by political unrest and violence.
We supported the
International Medical Corps (IMC), which worked with local organizations to respond to the acute needs of Kenyans coping with widespread post-election violence. The
IMC and its partners provided medical assistance, food, shelter, and other critical relief needs to those living in severely affected slum areas in Nairobi and also supported efforts to help with economic recovery.
Victims of the Myanmar cyclone.
We supported the work of CARE, Save the Children, and World Vision to meet immediate needs for food, clean water, sanitation, and shelter. All three organizations had a strong presence on the ground and worked quickly to get aid to the victims.
Communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
We supported the efforts of the
American Red Cross (ARC), which prepared hundreds of shelters for those who had to be evacuated from their homes after the hurricanes. The ARC also served 34 million meals and 30 million snacks and distributed hundreds of thousands of personal hygiene kits.
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