Syria Crisis

About the Crisis

The Syrian conflict is the largest and most complex humanitarian emergency of our time, driving record levels of displacement. One in five people displaced globally is Syrian. More than 80 percent 1 of Syria’s population—or 13.5 million people—are in need of humanitarian assistance. 

The emergence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) exacerbated an already protracted crisis in Syria, where the Assad regime has waged an unrelenting campaign of bloodshed and violence against its own people for more than six years. The abhorrent use of indiscriminate weapons and airstrikes on civilian and humanitarian targets is exacerbating the humanitarian situation, leading to more death and suffering.

 

Despite ongoing conflict, international humanitarian organizations are on the ground, working to provide food, clean water, shelter, medical care and warm clothing to millions of Syrians every month.

How You Can Help

When disasters occur anywhere in the world, Americans generously offer assistance to those in need. Decades of experience in disaster relief and recovery have shown that the best way to help people affected by disaster is to make cash donations to reputable relief and charitable organizations on the ground. These groups work closely with affected communities, know what people need and how to strengthen recovery efforts.

Cash donations are the most efficient form of assistance. Unlike material donations, cash involves no transportation costs, shipping delays, or customs fees. It also enables relief organizations to spend more time providing aid by spending less time managing goods. Cash donations also allow relief supplies to be purchased in markets close to the disaster site, which stimulates the local economy by providing employment and generating cash flow.

Organizations listed on the resources below are experienced and are participating directly in relief efforts. If you would like to know more about organizations you are considering for support, you can find detailed financial and programmatic information at: GiveWell, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and the Better Business Bureau.

InterAction is an alliance organization in Washington, D.C. of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Our 180-plus members work around the world.

GlobalGiving is the first and largest global crowdfunding community that connects nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country around the world.

Monetary donations enable responding organizations to react with speed and specificity in critical sectors now and as communities recover.

Additional Resources

More information on the U.S. government’s humanitarian response to Syria can be found here.

Additional information on humanitarian relief organizations can be found on ReliefWeb, a humanitarian information portal run by the United Nations.

About USAID CIDI

USAID created the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) in 1988 one month after Hurricane Gilbert made landfall as a Category 5 storm that affected 10 countries. An outpouring of unsolicited donations took up space needed to stage and deliver life-saving relief supplies, and USAID and other responders spent valuable time managing unneeded clothing, expired medicine, and other non-critical items. USAID established the Center to educate the public about the advantages of giving monetary donations to relief organizations and the downside of donating unsolicited material goods www.cidi.org. USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) leads and coordinates the U.S. government’s humanitarian assistance efforts overseas, responding to an average of 65 disasters in more than 50 countries every year. Learn More About USAID/OFDA

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