#food for all ngo

[goodworkstrust]

Nourishing Lives: The Impact of GoodWorks Trust on Food, Health, and Nutrition

In a world where millions still struggle to secure basic necessities, ensuring food security, health, and nutrition for all remains a pressing challenge. GoodWorks Trust, a leading NGO in India, is dedicated to bridging this gap through various initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of underprivileged communities. Our comprehensive approach addresses immediate needs and promotes long-term health and wellness through sustainable practices.

To read complete post, visit here: https://goodworks.org.in/nourishing-lives-the-impact-of-goodworks-trust-on-food-health-and-nutrition/

[asgardian--angels]

Planet's Fucked: What Can You Do To Help? (Long Post)

Since nobody is talking about the existential threat to the climate and the environment a second Trump term/Republican government control will cause, which to me supersedes literally every other issue, I wanted to just say my two cents, and some things you can do to help. I am a conservation biologist, whose field was hit substantially by the first Trump presidency. I study wild bees, birds, and plants.

In case anyone forgot what he did last time, he gagged scientists' ability to talk about climate change, he tried zeroing budgets for agencies like the NOAA, he attempted to gut protections in the Endangered Species Act (mainly by redefining 'take' in a way that would allow corporations to destroy habitat of imperiled species with no ramifications), he tried to do the same for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (the law that offers official protection for native non-game birds), he sought to expand oil and coal extraction from federal protected lands, he shrunk the size of multiple national preserves, HE PULLED US OUT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, and more.

We are at a crucial tipping point in being able to slow the pace of climate change, where we decide what emissions scenario we will operate at, with existential consequences for both the environment and people. We are also in the middle of the Sixth Mass Extinction, with the rate of species extinctions far surpassing background rates due completely to human actions. What we do now will determine the fate of the environment for hundreds or thousands of years - from our ability to grow key food crops (goodbye corn belt! I hated you anyway but), to the pressure on coastal communities that will face the brunt of sea level rise and intensifying extreme weather events, to desertification, ocean acidification, wildfires, melting permafrost (yay, outbreaks of deadly frozen viruses!), and a breaking down of ecosystems and ecosystem services due to continued habitat loss and species declines, especially insect declines. The fact that the environment is clearly a low priority issue despite the very real existential threat to so many people, is beyond my ability to understand. I do partly blame the public education system for offering no mandatory environmental science curriculum or any at all in most places. What it means is that it will take the support of everyone who does care to make any amount of difference in this steeply uphill battle.

There are not enough environmental scientists to solve these issues, not if public support is not on our side and the majority of the general public is either uninformed or actively hostile towards climate science (or any conservation science).

So what can you, my fellow Americans, do to help mitigate and minimize the inevitable damage that lay ahead?

I'm not going to tell you to recycle more or take shorter showers. I'll be honest, that stuff is a drop in the bucket. What does matter on the individual level is restoring and protecting habitat, reducing threats to at-risk species, reducing pesticide use, improving agricultural practices, and pushing for policy changes. Restoring CONNECTIVITY to our landscape - corridors of contiguous habitat - will make all the difference for wildlife to be able to survive a changing climate and continued human population expansion.

**Caveat that I work in the northeast with pollinators and birds so I cannot provide specific organizations for some topics, including climate change focused NGOs. Scientists on tumblr who specialize in other fields, please add your own recommended resources. **

We need two things: FUNDING and MANPOWER.

You may surprised to find that an insane amount of conservation work is carried out by volunteers. We don't ever have the funds to pay most of the people who want to help. If you really really care, consider going into a conservation-related field as a career. It's rewarding, passionate work.

At the national level, please support:

The Nature Conservancy

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Cornell Lab of Ornithology (including eBird)

National Audubon Society

Federal Duck Stamps (you don't need to be a hunter to buy one!)

These first four work to acquire and restore critical habitat, change environmental policy, and educate the public. There is almost certainly a Nature Conservancy-owned property within driving distance of you. Xerces plays a very large role in pollinator conservation, including sustainable agriculture, native bee monitoring programs, and the Bee City/Bee Campus USA programs. The Lab of O is one of the world's leaders in bird research and conservation. Audubon focuses on bird conservation. You can get annual memberships to these organizations and receive cool swag and/or a subscription to their publications which are well worth it. You can also volunteer your time; we need thousands of volunteers to do everything from conducting wildlife surveys, invasive species removal, providing outreach programming, managing habitat/clearing trails, planting trees, you name it. Federal Duck Stamps are the major revenue for wetland conservation; hunters need to buy them to hunt waterfowl but anyone can get them to collect!

THERE ARE DEFINITELY MORE, but these are a start.

Additionally, any federal or local organizations that seek to provide support and relief to those affected by hurricanes, sea level rise, any form of coastal climate change...

At the regional level:

These are a list of topics that affect major regions of the United States. Since I do not work in most of these areas I don't feel confident recommending specific organizations, but please seek resources relating to these as they are likely major conservation issues near you.

PRAIRIE CONSERVATION & PRAIRIE POTHOLE WETLANDS

DRYING OF THE COLORADO RIVER (good overview video linked)

PROTECTION OF ESTUARIES AND SALTMARSH, ESPECIALLY IN THE DELAWARE BAY AND LONG ISLAND (and mangroves further south, everglades etc; this includes restoring LIVING SHORELINES instead of concrete storm walls; also check out the likely-soon extinction of saltmarsh sparrows)

UNDAMMING MAJOR RIVERS (not just the Colorado; restoring salmon runs, restoring historic floodplains)

NATIVE POLLINATOR DECLINES (NOT honeybees. for fuck's sake. honeybees are non-native domesticated animals. don't you DARE get honeybee hives to 'save the bees')

WILDLIFE ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER (support the Mission Butterfly Center!)

INVASIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES (this is everywhere but the specifics will differ regionally, dear lord please help Hawaii)

LOSS OF WETLANDS NATIONWIDE (some states have lost over 90% of their wetlands, I'm looking at you California, Ohio, Illinois)

INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE, esp in the CORN BELT and CALIFORNIA - this is an issue much bigger than each of us, but we can work incrementally to promote sustainable practices and create habitat in farmland-dominated areas. Support small, local farms, especially those that use soil regenerative practices, no-till agriculture, no pesticides/Integrated Pest Management/no neonicotinoids/at least non-persistent pesticides. We need more farmers enrolling in NRCS programs to put farmland in temporary or permanent wetland easements, or to rent the land for a 30-year solar farm cycle. We've lost over 99% of our prairies to corn and soybeans. Let's not make it 100%.

INDIGENOUS LAND-BACK EFFORTS/INDIGENOUS LAND MANAGEMENT/TEK (adding this because there have been increasing efforts not just for reparations but to also allow indigenous communities to steward and manage lands either fully independently or alongside western science, and it would have great benefits for both people and the land; I know others on here could speak much more on this. Please platform indigenous voices)

HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (get your neighbors to stop dumping fertilizers on their lawn next to lakes, reduce agricultural runoff)

OCEAN PLASTIC (it's not straws, it's mostly commercial fishing line/trawling equipment and microplastics)

A lot of these are interconnected. And of course not a complete list.

At the state and local level:

You probably have the most power to make change at the local level!

Support or volunteer at your local nature centers, local/state land conservancy non-profits (find out who owns&manages the preserves you like to hike at!), state fish & game dept/non-game program, local Audubon chapters (they do a LOT). Participate in a Christmas Bird Count!

Join local garden clubs, which install and maintain town plantings - encourage them to use NATIVE plants. Join a community garden!

Get your college campus or city/town certified in the Bee Campus USA/Bee City USA programs from the Xerces Society

Check out your state's official plant nursery, forest society, natural heritage program, anything that you could become a member of, get plants from, or volunteer at.

Volunteer to be part of your town's conservation commission, which makes decisions about land management and funding

Attend classes or volunteer with your land grant university's cooperative extension (including master gardener programs)

Literally any volunteer effort aimed at improving the local environment, whether that's picking up litter, pulling invasive plants, installing a local garden, planting trees in a city park, ANYTHING. make a positive change in your own sphere. learn the local issues affecting your nearby ecosystems. I guarantee some lake or river nearby is polluted

MAKE HABITAT IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Biggest thing you can do. Use plants native to your area in your yard or garden. Ditch your lawn. Don't use pesticides (including mosquito spraying, tick spraying, Roundup, etc). Don't use fertilizers that will run off into drinking water. Leave the leaves in your yard. Get your school/college to plant native gardens. Plant native trees (most trees planted in yards are not native). Remove invasive plants in your yard.

On this last point, HERE ARE EASY ONLINE RESOURCES TO FIND NATIVE PLANTS and LEARN ABOUT NATIVE GARDENING:

Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Resource Center

Pollinator Pathway

Audubon Native Plant Finder

Homegrown National Park (and Doug Tallamy's other books)

National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder (clunky but somewhat helpful)

Heather Holm (for prairie/midwest/northeast)

MonarchGard w/ Benjamin Vogt (for prairie/midwest)

Native Plant Trust (northeast & mid-atlantic)

Grow Native Massachusetts (northeast)

Habitat Gardening in Central New York (northeast)

There are many more - I'm not familiar with resources for western states. Print books are your biggest friend. Happy to provide a list of those.

Lastly, you can help scientists monitor species using citizen science. Contribute to iNaturalist, eBird, Bumblebee Watch, or any number of more geographically or taxonomically targeted programs (for instance, our state has a butterfly census carried out by citizen volunteers).

In short? Get curious, get educated, get involved. Notice your local nature, find out how it's threatened, and find out who's working to protect it that you can help with. The health of the planet, including our resilience to climate change, is determined by small local efforts to maintain and restore habitat. That is how we survive this. When government funding won't come, when we're beat back at every turn trying to get policy changed, it comes down to each individual person creating a safe refuge for nature.

Thanks for reading this far. Please feel free to add your own credible resources and organizations.

[missempanada]

How to help the people in Spain

As you may have seen online, Spain is going through a flash flood since October 29. It's mainly affected the Community of Valencia but also some parts of the south-west and the cold drop is now moving to the north-east.

95 bodies have been found at the time I'm writing this (edit: 205 now), there's still people missing and entire towns are isolated as they don't have electricity and their roads have been destroyed. A lot of people don't have tap water or any means to cook. If you're wondering why people didn't evacuate beforehand, it's because authorities didn't care enough to warn people so technically everyone had to go to work and school. Though politicians should be held accountable, the most important thing at the moment is to help those in need. So here's some ways you can help both people and animals that have been affected.

NGOs and fundraisers

MOST NEEDED AT THE MOMENT: You can donate to Valencia's food bank by making a transfer to this bank account: ES86 2100 2806 6402 0009 8998.

Horta Sud is a county in Valencia that has been the most affected by the floodings. People are leaving their houses because they're scared of the infrastructure getting damaged and even walking by foot to Valencia capital to get food. You can help those families via this gofundme.

Hambre Cero is a Spanish non-profit that was founded after the earthquakes in Indonesia. They will be giving food to those who need it. Here's different ways you can donate.

This gofundme is joining efforts with the town hall of Valencia to help people who have lost their homes.

Una copa por Valencia ("a drink to Valencia") is a campaign organized by Spanish influencer David Aliagas. The idea behind it is to donate the amount of money you would spend on drinks on a night out. He'll be joining effort with local non-profits. You can help here.

Here's a thread of artists that are accepting commissions in exchange for donations for Valencia.

Spanish Kpop fans are organizing a collective fundraiser.

EDIT: took Cáritas and Spanish Red Cross out of this post after this tiktok made by a volunteer went viral and a lot of people posted their experiences working for these NGOs. Apparently they're not distributing food. Instead they're telling people not to send more food and send money instead so they can keep part of it.

Help people directly

Help Sara, Steven and Bruno rebuild their home in Valencia.

Help this high school teacher buy a new car to get back to work.

Raúl was about to open his barbershop on October 31 but it was destroyed by the flood. Please help him get his dream back.

Help the neighbours of Aldaia (Valencia) rebuild their homes.

This artist has been affected by the floods and lost their car. They've opened emergency commissions.

You can help rebuild the town of Letur (Albacete) by donating to this gofundme that's directly coordinated with the town hall.

Rebeca is a seamstress. Her studio was both her workplace and a place were came together for a sewing club in the afternoons. It was destroyed by the flood. You can help her rebuild it here

Animal shelters

Refugio Minipow was home to 50 rabbits and guinea pigs. Thankfully, the owners were able to move all the animals to their homes and those of their neighbors, though the shelter itself has been destroyed right after recent renovations. There's different ways to donate here.

El Refugio de María a dog shelter in Sueca (Valencia), is completely flooded, leaving the dogs visibly distressed, as shown here. You can donate to PayPal maria.g.may@gmail.com

Modepran is a dog shelter in Campanar (Valencia) where infrastructure damage has left some dogs without a proper sleeping area. You can donate through PayPal here.

Gatos Campo de Gibraltar is a cat shelter in Los Barrios (Cádiz). need of assistance for relocating cats to new homes and rebuilding damaged facilities. You can donate to their PayPal gatoscampodegibraltar@gmail.com

Protectora San Antón is an animal shelter for cats and dogs in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz). The entire place is flooded and the animals don't have a comfortable place to sleep in. Cats can't even walk on the ground. You can donate to their PayPal protectorasananton@hotmail.com

I'll be adding more as I find them. Thank you everyone for your help.

Edit: adding this because I keep seeing people on Twitter and Tiktok say it makes no sense to give money to people in a "first world" country. I need you people to understand that living in a western country doesn't equal politicians caring about you.

This whole thing started because politicians weren't doing their job and they're still not doing it. People (literal civilians, not firefighters or policemen) are literally pulling bodies from under cars and putting them inside the trunks so children in the affected areas don't see them. There's underground parkings still flooded by water and we don't know how many people may be inside them.

France offered to send us 200 firemen and the Ministry of Interior literally REFUSED. Some of these French firemen came on their own anyway. But that's what our politicians are doing. Negating help and pointing fingers at each other so they don't seem guilty.

[heritageposts]

Since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza in October, Israeli soldiers have been posting what can only be described as snuff videos on social media platforms. In the videos, soldiers can be seen – often gleefully – committing war crimes against Palestinians. In one video, an Israeli soldier dressed in a dinosaur costume loads artillery shells into a tank and dances as the shells are fired in the direction of Gaza. In another video, a soldier is filmed dedicating an explosion to his two-year-old daughter for her birthday. Seconds later, a Palestinian residential building behind him is blown up. Other videos show Israeli soldiers setting alight Palestinian food supplies during a starvation campaign and mocking stripped, rounded-up and blindfolded Palestinian civilians. [...] And there is another aspect of Israeli impunity that is often overlooked: Israeli soldiers routinely admit to horrific crimes they commit against the Palestinians to clear their conscience and absolve themselves of personal responsibility but never face any accountability. Israelis themselves describe the practice as “yorim ve bochim”, which translates from Hebrew as “shooting and crying”. A favourite pastime of the Zionist left, it takes centre stage in dozens of Israeli films and documentaries. Take the widely celebrated film Tantura, named after a Palestinian fishing village that was subjected to a massacre in 1948. In this film, several Israeli veterans talk with ease about the fact that they killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians. Others openly admit to participating in ethnic cleansing, yet all are portrayed as complicated individuals who are traumatised by the trauma they inflicted on Palestinians. “Yorim ve bochim” is also epitomised in the work of the Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence. A darling of the liberal West, the organisation of Israeli army veterans tries to expose the reality of the “Occupied Territories” by providing a space to Israeli soldiers to confidentially recount their experiences in the Israeli army and at times admit to taking part in systematic abuse and destruction. The testimonies on its website make for incredibly difficult reading, particularly in this moment when we are seeing what is happening in Gaza. And yet nowhere does this organisation call for accountability or address what justice might look like for the Palestinians whom the soldiers they work with have systematically abused over decades. The reality is that over the last seven and a half decades, there has been complete impunity for brutalising and slaughtering Palestinians. The ongoing genocide in Gaza and the way in which it is being so brazenly shared on social media by the perpetrators is a manifestation of that impunity. The only way to make sure that it stops and never happens again is to hold not only those who have taken part in the genocide accountable but also those who are complicit.

. . . continues on al jazeera (24 Jan, 2024)

[cerastes]

I saw there are a lot of forest fire in chile right now. are you gonna be okay?

Three days after the fact, yeah, I'll be fine, personally and physically, but it's dire, I'm not going to lie. I've never seen so much fire in my life. When you think about a big fire, your impression might be two or three buildings on fire with some firefighter trucks spraying water at it. This was kilometers upon kilometers of raging blazes. Kilometers. Heads up if you are sensitive to these kinds of posts, this isn't a happy one.

Entire hills on fire. Lush green hills reduced to ash and smoke.

Not to mention the urban parts that got hit badly

The official death toll keeps increasing each passing hour as they clear up the rubble and ruins and find more corpses. People I know lost everything. Some people I know lost their loved ones. Dogs are eating corpses on the street because they haven't picked them up yet, so you have neighbors warding off said dogs. Bodies get picked up too badly burned, eaten, decomposed, or a mix thereof to be identified.

It's a tragedy. It all reeks of smoke, there's ash everywhere.

It was sudden, it was brutal. Seeing elderly survivors wondering "what's next for me? I don't have enough years left among the living to rebuild all I lost, all I worked for throughout my life, gone like that" breaks my heart. The government is offering all sorts of aid, but there's also people whose documents, like ID and other identifying documentation, was lost in the fire, so they have to get re-issued an ID before they can actually start filing for aid. The SML (Servicio Médico Legal) is oversaturated with all that's suddenly on their plate and can't return the bodies of people to their families yet, and these are all people that still need food, shelter, hygiene, and so on after the fact. Seeing the logistical nightmare that becomes life after you lose everything firsthand from other people is sobering and painful. Yeah, they survived, but what comes next? It's a sense of uncertainty that is smothering and asphyxiating, it's hopelessness.

I apologize if I come across as dramatic, especially so as someone who was luckily not affected, but it really, really has been heartbreaking to witness, especially from very up close, as I was there, and it's one thing to know of a tragedy that happened elsewhere, maybe even in your own country, but elsewhere, and it's a whole other beast to have seen it directly as it unfolded.

Keep Chile in your thoughts. If you are able to, please consider donating to Desafío Levantemos Chile, to my knowledge the only drive that accepts Paypal, thus, foreign donations, to help the various efforts to rebuild and aid those affected. Desafío Levantemos Chile dates back to 2010, when Chile got hit by a devastating earthquake, and is an NGO that bases its continued existence in being able to provide aid during catastrophes such as this one.

[sayruq]

World Central Kitchen announced that it will resume operations in Gaza on Monday, almost one month after seven of its aid workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the enclave. The U.S.-based nonprofit group, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, suspended operations in Gaza for four weeks after the workers were killed on April 1, according to a statement. The organization identified the aid workers as Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, a 25-year-old Palestinian; Lalzawmi (Zomi) Frankcom, a 43-year-old Australian; Damian Soból, a 35-year-old from Poland; Jacob Flickinger, a 33-year-old dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada; Security team members John Chapman, 57, James (Jim) Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, all from the United Kingdom, were also killed in the attack.

Before halting operations, the organization had distributed more than 43 million meals in Gaza “and accounted for 62% of all international NGO aid,” WCK said in a statement. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire,” said Erin Gore, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer. “We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible.” WCK has 276 trucks carrying almost 8 million meals that are ready to cross into Gaza via Rafah, and will send trucks into the enclave via Jordan too, it said in a statement. The organization is also continuing to explore delivering food with the help of Open Arms, a Spanish humanitarian organization, and the United Arab Emirates.

[vanteguccir]

hey guys! I know that this blog isn't about anything other than the celebrities and characters that I write for and read about, but I need to ask for some little help right now...

as some of you already know, I'm from Brazil, and a state from my country is announced to be in public disaster. it's been raining A LOT (more than usual) for days without stopping, and the force of it is causing dams to brake, all of them, which is causing extreme floods

right now, we have at least 10 WHOLE cities under complete water, at least 100 d3aths, more than 200 hurt, and we lost count on the missing people

more than 7 bridges broke, which is preventing people from evacuating, despite government requests. many are without water, electricity, internet, and food

the entire country is mobilizing, firefighters and soldiers from all states are going there to help, people are sending money to NGOs of anything that can help, or sending basic products (non-perishable food, clothing, etc.) to military posts across the country, but despite all this, I just wanted to ask you to pray for us and send positive energy! we really need it right now

we have never been through anything like this since Brazil is a country that is less likely to experience disasters like that, which is making everything more difficult, as we were not prepared...

FOR THOSE THAT ARE BRAZILIAN!: starting tomorrow, all post offices in SP and PR will receive donations of basic items for FREE and will take them to Rio Grande do Sul!!! if you can't send money, but can send some clothes, non-perishable food or hygiene itens, please check which post office in your city will do this work!!!!

I also have info of secure PIX you can send money or places you can send itens. if you want to know more, just ask through the comments

we just hope it will all end soon ;( thank you!

[reality-detective]

UN & WEF - Sustainable development control plan means.

Corporate control of all Earth’s inventory.

▪️Land

▪️Water

▪️Minerals

▪️Plants

▪️Animals

▪️Construction

▪️Production

▪️Food

▪️Energy

▪️Information

▪️Humans

Corporations & NGO’s supersede you. 🤔

[victoriawhimsey]

🔻HELP SUPPORT HASHIM & LAILA🔻

⭐️This fundraiser is for Hashim & Laila, a married couple in Gaza. Hashim was working two jobs as a NGO coordinator, & as a monitor at a coffee lab. Laila worked as a lab specialist in agriculture. They both worked tirelessly each day in order to have enough funds to cover the cost of medical procedures for IVF so they could start a family together.⭐️

Unfortunately, their dreams to start a family were shattered due to isntreals total destruction of all healthcare facilities, & all infrastructure in Gaza. Which violates every international law known to mankind. Hashim & Laila’s new home was also destroyed & they have lost everything. They have been displaced 3 times now, & they are struggling to find food, water, shelter, & all basic necessities needed for survival. Hashim & Laila are raising funds in order to evacuate Gaza so they can finally start a family together.

‼️DONATE TO HASHIM & LAILA USING THE LINK BELOW:‼️

‼️Only me and two others have been sharing this fundraiser so they truly need all the help they can get with sharing & with donations!! They have only received 19 donations in the past 4 months! Help them reach a goal of €5,000 by the 18th of this month! They have not even reached €1,000 yet, so please help in all ways possible!!!‼️

🔻Follow Hashim here:🔻

@hashimsafadi

🔻Hashim & Laila’s fundraiser has been vetted by me through the community vetting process with Pali pals🔻

‼️YOU CAN ALSO DONATE TO HASHIM & LAILA USING THIS QR CODE:‼️

@transmutationisms @magewolf-the-artist @laurapalmerss @schoolhater @xinakwans @6o3o9 @appsa @neptunerings @claudiasescapesubmarine @doug-dimmadumb @brutaliakhoa @flower-tea-fairies @mushroomjar @s8n66 @malcriada @marnota @feluka @a1m3v @kit-today @deepspaceboytoy @kyra45-helping-others @sawasawako @lovewontfindherwayhome @timetravellingkitty @wellwaterhysteria @halalchampagnesocialist @a-shade-of-blue @hametsukaishi

[goodworkstrust]

Why Is It Important To Donate Food?

According to Undernourishment Statistics – Worldometer, Around 194.4 million people i.e. around 14.20% population is undernourished in India. This number is large and the fact is sad. India ranked 111 out of 125 countries as per the Global Hunger Index Report in 2023. Access to healthy food is the need of the hour. Food is very important for the development of a child’s overall health. Although the government is making efforts but these efforts are not enough to satisfy the hunger of all people. This is the reason various NGOs are working in this direction. We are also urging people to donate for food in India.

To read complete post, visit here: https://goodworks.org.in/why-is-it-important-to-donate-food/

[eelfuneral]

To all my friends with Moral OCD/Scrupulosity: people do not mean “inundate yourself with the most graphic news videos you can find for all hours of the day” when they say “don’t look away” in the context of issues like war, genocide, and disasters, but rather “be aware of what’s going on and do what you can, even if it’s something small”. “Being aware” means checking in on an issue and potential ways that people can help those affected, not forcing yourself to compulsively watch as many videos of people dying as you can. Doing this is, in fact, a compulsion, and your brain will keep pushing you to watch more graphic death videos. Digital self-harm helps no one, and you don’t have to absorb every instance of individual suffering to have an awareness of it being an ongoing problem. Hell, you can take a break from checking the news for a bit if you find yourself spiraling and you can always catch up on it again once you are in the headspace to do so. Understanding how dire a situation is can be very important, but you can’t remove suffering and death from the world by compulsively looking at it. Your brain is lying to you, and it is much more productive to look for little ways that you can help people.

If you donate money to NGOs, know that every cent counts. If you are not financially well off and can only donate a small amount, that is still a wonderful thing. Forcing yourself into a place of financial risk (like risking eviction or forgoing food or medical care) to feel like you’re “really” donating “enough” is an OCD compulsion. OCD is taking advantage of the discomfort and sorrow that we feel when something big and horrific is happening and there is little that we can do, and we have to sit with some of that discomfort and avoid falling into patterns of self-harm like what I described above in an attempt to escape from it. If you’re feeling hopeless and not caring for yourself, then you can’t help people at all! No one can single-handedly save the world, but we can do little things to make it that much less unpleasant.

Be aware and be helpful, but take care of yourself, too.

[poetessinthepit]

One thing I think that is so insidious about the Pro-Israel narrative is that they don't even want you donating to the Palestinian cause to provide things like food or medical care for children. There is a concerted hasbara campaign to associate any NGO that provides any aid to palestinians with terrorism.

For example, if you attempt to raise money for the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, a charity rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator, you may be linked to a page on a website called NGO Monitor. At first glance, this appears to be a neutral charity rating website similar to Charity Navigator. It's not.

Try searching any charity with no connection to the Israel-Palestine conflict on NGO Monitor, and you'll get no result.

Do a little digging, and you'll find out that NGO Monitor was founded by Gerald Steinberg, a Likud party member and former Israeli Security Council consultant. It is essentially a right-wing Israeli front posing as a legitimate charity watchdog while spreading misinformation.

Or consider this racist parody song from Israel's version of SNL. It depicts a hjiab donning woman crying and begging for money in front of an image of shelled out buildings presumably in Gaza. It then cuts away to reveal it is all a set, and her crying is acting, alluding to the Pallywood conspiracy theory. This is followed by caricatures of Hamas members swimming in riches in a luxurious hotel room in Qatar chanting "dollar bills, dollar bills" as donations pile up. The implication is clear; if you give money to Palestine, you are giving money to Hamas. The fact that this video is in English tells you who the intended audience is. It was posted on instagram by Noa Tishby, a former Israeli spokesperson.

This all reflects the true cruelty of the Israeli regime. They don't just want to harm the Palestinians; they don't want you to help them.

[sgiandubh]

PSA: An Appalachian cry for help

Rather unusually, I have received this poignant message yesterday, in the middle of the European night, and I am now honoring it, with @novel-dreams' permission to share part of our DM convo:

@novel-dreams also provided this dramatic on-the-spot feedback:

[Click here for a more complete reblog, photos included: https://www.tumblr.com/the-elder-polls/762929863960166400/to-those-of-you-reblogging-this-thank-you-i-have?source=share]

And S himself shared the American Red Cross' appeal on behalf of the victims of hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Tennessee:

So, if you want to help and I strongly suggest you do so, even symbolically, as even dimes can make a difference to those left with absolutely nothing, here are a couple of other links for vetted local NGOs:

Most of these, such as Operation Airdrop or Manna Food Bank, may not take overseas donations and this makes me feel somewhat helpless, but all I am asking you, really, is at least to help spread this message, if you are unable/unwilling to pitch in.

In the meanwhile, we are ploughing through our own dressings, Shipper Mom and I, because we also had devastating floods in my own country and there are thousands who lost absolutely everything.

Let this be a reminder climate change is no joke.

[Later edit]: @txgenelady added this extra resource:

And I am adding The American Red Cross' dedicated link: https://www.redcross.org/donate/dr/hurricane-helene.html/

This post will remain open and might be regularly updated if you have any other idea or resource.

[Later edit 2]: Adding in the link for the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund (thank you, @poughkeepsielass!): https://pay.payitgov.com/ncdonations (I have donated a very small amount here, from the 💖, the RC won't take my money), along with World Central Kitchen (thank you, @sarcastic-poll!): https://donate.wck.org/give/622465/?_gl=1qcys45_gcl_auMTQzNDU4MTEwMi4xNzI3ODA1MTkz_gaMTEwMjkzMjY4Ni4xNzI3ODA1MTkz_ga_5WKVY8503C*MTcyNzgwNTE5My4xLjEuMTcyNzgwNTIxNy4zNi4wLjA.#!/donation/checkout

[Later edit 3]: added The Cajun Navy Relief (https://www.cajunnavyrelief.com/)

[secular-jew]

From one of my Danish friends who works for an NGO in Gaza:

HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS LIE ABOUT THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GAZA

Every single day we hear from various humanitarian organizations that the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and that there is now only fuel, water or medicine for a day before the famous one diesel generator in Gaza stops, the lights go out and the sick can be treated due to a lack of medicines.

It must be remembered that these organizations have an interest in exaggerating and dramatizing the situation - to put it nicely. In fact, they often lie, and they must know that themselves, because they have their own representatives on site. One must also remember that there is no independent media in Gaza that could check the many exaggerations and lies. Hamas strictly controls what is published, and it is dangerous to question or correct Hamas' censors.

The Israeli defense has a special unit that deals professionally with the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The unit regularly receives information from international organizations that are represented in Gaza, and also builds on knowledge that is generally available. From this we see a more realistic picture of the conditions than what the humanitarian organizations provide:

There is NO shortage of food in Gaza, but sufficient stocks for several weeks' needs. As far as drinking water is concerned, Gaza is 90% self-sufficient. Only 10% comes from Israel through 3 water supply pipes. Israel has recently opened 2 more supply lines.

Hamas has full control over the distribution of medicine and hospital equipment and decides how much the hospitals will receive and when. (Hamas probably needs these things themselves now that they are suffering daily heavy losses given the targeted Israeli attacks on the terrorist organization's numerous military facilities)

Hamas' many rocket attacks against Israel, which continue, have destroyed several of their own electrical lines that supply electricity to Gaza from Israel - moreover, on a larger scale than the generator the media keeps talking about.

All hospitals in Gaza have their own solar powered electrical systems to supplement diesel generators. Other generators scattered across Gaza territory are controlled by Hamas, which also stores large quantities of diesel oil in the underground tunnels. Three weeks have passed since the hospital administrations in Gaza declared that they only had diesel fuel for the next 24 hours. But the hospitals continue to function because Hamas supplies them with fuel.

Hamas is interested in the hospitals functioning because Hamas has their military headquarters inside and under the hospitals, which they have thereby made part of the military infrastructure.

Red Cross employees in the Gaza Strip are from the Red Crescent, they are Palestinians, they protect Hamas. Their monthly salary comes from the organization.

The Red Cross in Denmark, for example, does not talk about the 239 Israeli hostages to which the Red Cross has not had access.

According to international rules/laws, the Red Cross must have access to the hostages, some of whom are babies and small children, others are young and elderly. The Red Cross does not talk about the lack of supervision of the Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Wonder why?

[loving-n0t-heyting]

Its hard to put exact numbers on the death toll from bidens atrocious decision to plunder the afghan national bank after his withdrawal, but it would not surprise me if it were larger than the death toll in gaza to date. Various sources indicate well upwards of 10M facing food insecurity in the country, tho ofc that will not be all downstream of the looting

And in a way its even less forgivable than gaza. Anything less than the most servile deference to israel in the wake of oct 7 would be and has been an uphill struggle against the israel lobby and various extant treaty obligations. The looting was entirely unforced and unexpected, hence the shock in its wake. And to what benefit? <10B$, a tiny additional slice of the federal budget, distributed in the most hamfistedly virtue signalling fashion: half for a bunch of blundering ngos to do the job of the afghan govt but worse, half for the families of the victims of 9/11 in a material allocation of mourning to make the embalming of lenin look like a modest indulgence. An incredible act of immiserating theft, perpetrated for barely any reason for barely any gain

[thedailydescent]

Whether or not my raffle will end up helping anybody, I would like to focus on a few select individuals from my list who have not reached 5K yet and are not getting enough attention:

From lowest to highest:

Mohammed Eid Matar- @mohammedmatat and @matarmoh2024 (€1,175)

Mohammed's fundraiser has been vetted by @/el-shab-hussein @/nabulsi and @/moayesh. Sadly, Tumblr had unfairly deactivated his blog for four months, leaving him unable to campaign for his family. He is now back on Tumblr and asking you all for help.

Mohammed has a little brother and sister, both left critically injured by occupier bombardment and currently needs your help getting them medical treatment! I have chatted with Mohammed a few times and he seems like a wonderful and protective brother, who just wants to do everything he can to help his family. Will you respond to his call?

Hashim & Laila- @hashimsafadi (€1,219)

Laila and Hashim's fundraiser has been vetted by Pali Pals. @victoriawhimsey and others have trying to get them to their short-term goal of €5,000 for months now, but has so far been unsuccessful. Before Oct 7, Hashim was previously NGO coordinator, and Laila a lab specialist in the agriculture ministry. They were happy and had plans of starting a family together. Now their home is destroyed, their careers lost, and their dreams halted. They have already been displaced several times due to orders from occupiers.

Laila and Hashim have already done everything they've needed to do. They've made themselves known online. They're vetted. They put photos and videos of their situation up. They come on frequently to campaign for themselves. What more do you need from them? What will it take for you to finally respond?

Mohammed- @mohamedabushaban06 (€3,079)

Mohammed's fundraiser has been vetted by Pali Pals. Mohammed is an 18 year-old medical student who is studying in Qatar. He previously needed €3,000 in tuition fees to start his semester. He reached his goal, but his journey is far from over.

Mohammed is at risk everyday of being deported back to Gaza if he does not meet his school's financial requirements. This cannot happen. He needs €20,000 to make it through the school year. He has not received a donation in 2 days, despite being spotlighted by @/victoriawhimsey and @/dlxxv-vetted-donations. Please don't forget about Mohammed!

Ruba Abushahan- @rubashsblog and @iyadsobhegaza ($4,210 + CHF166)

Ruba is listed at #90 on the Vetted Gaza Evacuation Fundraiser List, and perhaps is one of the most heartbreaking and frustrating cases I've read about. Ruba had previously raised 27K on her old gofundme (which is listed in the link verification), but the funds were placed on hold with gofundme still slowly processing her appeal to release them. Two other fundraisers have luckily been set up, so people have been requesting refunds from her old gofundme to donate to her new ones, but still, the process has been going depressingly slowly. She has also been spotlighted by @neptunerings and @heliopixels, but it has not been enough.

Ruba is currently in hospital, recovering from an injury she got while being forced to move again. Iyad suffers from a weak heart and needs medical care now. Can people please help them out?

Tagging: @khanger @neptunerings @heliopixels @brutaliakhoa @determinate-negation

@heritageposts @ana-bananya @a-shade-of-blue @underthejollyroger @schoolhater

@dlxxv-vetted-donations @dykesbat @transmutationisms