̽»¨¾«Ñ¡

Thank you for your compassionate response to the plight of Syrian children and families, and other people uprooted by crisis—and especially for your interest in joining with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to help them. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about how you can make a difference in the lives of millions of people who have fled war, disaster and persecution.

Can I donate to the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡'s response to the crisis in Syria? 

Yes. The work of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is possible only through the generosity of caring people like you. Your gift helps the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ respond immediately and effectively to protect vulnerable families in most desperate need. You can help us aid people affected by violence in the Middle East, and refugees fleeing to Europe from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries in crisis by .

You may also and allow the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to direct how your gift will be used.

How can I donate to help refugees in my own community in the United States?

You may direct your gift to the Ì½»¨¾«Ñ¡ U.S. office closest to you to support refugees who are becoming a part of your community. You may also and encourage friends and family to get involved.

How can I donate in the United Kingdom?

To give in the U.K., please visit the .

How can I donate outside the U.S., U.K. or Canada?

You can make a donation from any country using our .

Can I make a cash donation from my phone?

Yes, if you download the app for iOS or Android and link it to your financial institution, you can make a fast and secure cash gift to the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ from your phone.

I want to donate to an organization that's helping refugees who are fleeing violence around the world. Why should I choose the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡?

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is the only aid group assisting refugees in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States. We are providing humanitarian aid to millions of people displaced by years of brutal conflict in Syria and Afghanistan.

Additionally, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is consistently awarded high marks by charity watchdog groups for our efficient use of financial support and the effectiveness of our work. Of every $1 the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ spends, more than 89¢ goes to programs and services that directly benefit refugees and communities affected by war or disaster.

How can I support refugees on an ongoing basis?

By as a Rescue Partner, you support the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s lifesaving work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities. Your steady financial support enables the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to respond swiftly and effectively when conflict strikes, to rescue lives in the midst of chaos, and to help fragile communities rebuild and move toward a more stable future.

Can I donate clothing or other goods to refugees?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept in-kind donations of emergency relief items from the general public for refugees outside of the United States. These items often include offers of air travel, clothing, tents, food items, etc. Additional information on why the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and other aid organizations adhere to these policies can be found on the .

However, many of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s offices in the United States do accept certain in-kind donations of clothing, children’s items and household goods to benefit refugees rebuilding their lives in the U.S. Reach out to the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ office closest to you for information on the items that are most needed.

Why do aid organizations like the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ prefer cash donations?

Cash donations are the most efficient way for humanitarian organizations like the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to provide assistance to those in need. Read more on the .

I can't donate money right now. Is there another way to help refugees?

Yes. There are many other ways to help:

Stand with refugees and choose humanity. Add your voice.

Set up a and ask your friends, family and community to support the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s work with those uprooted by conflict around the world.

Join and the and help us spread the word.

Volunteer with one of our more than two dozen offices across the United States that help welcome nearly 10,000 refugees each year to rebuild their lives in the U.S.

How can I raise money to help refugees?

We’ve created a special fundraising feature to make it easy to raise money for refugees online. and ask your friends, family and community to donate to help people whose lives have been shattered by war and persecution who are seeking safety.

Corporate donation

Will my employer match my charitable donation to the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡?

You may be able to double — or even triple — the impact of your generous donation with a matching gift from your company. Many companies already match employee contributions to charitable organizations. See if your employer will join you in supporting the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and refugees.

How can my company support the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s work?

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ provides our corporate partners with unique opportunities to demonstrate your company's values and commitment to humanitarian relief while helping rebuild the lives of refugees and displaced people worldwide. When you partner with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡, we work with you to design a custom program to effectively engage your company and employees. Learn more about ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ corporate partnerships.

Volunteer

How can I volunteer to help refugees?

Due to security reasons the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ does not send volunteers to our overseas programs, even in emergencies.

However, we offer various volunteer opportunities throughout the year to the nearly 10,000 refugees each year to rebuild their lives in the U.S. Volunteers play an integral role in our work to restore safety, dignity and hope to people whose lives have been uprooted by war. Take a look at the volunteer opportunities posted by an ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ office near you.

Sponsoring refugees

How can I sponsor a refugee family?

Unfortunately, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s emergency teams are unable to pair families with financial sponsors. However, your support of our emergency relief efforts directly benefits families escaping crisis and allows the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ to respond immediately and effectively.

In addition, some of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s 29 offices in the United States offer opportunities to mentor refugee families and support cultural orientation for families who have recently arrived in the United States, and volunteer in a variety of other critical ways. Please review the volunteer opportunities at the office closest to you.

Can I help a refugee family come to the United States?

We appreciate your compassion, however, only certain immediate family members in the U.S. may petition for resettlement for their relatives who are refugees overseas. To do so, the family living in the U.S. must contact an agency in their area affiliated with one of the nine national voluntary resettlement organizations, which work with the U.S. State Department. Filing an application in support of a relative does NOT guarantee that they will be accepted for resettlement in the U.S., as they must demonstrate that they meet all eligibility criteria through the same process as all refugees resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

If you'd like to help refugees who have already been invited to start new lives in the U.S., contact an ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ office near you or another resettlement organization in your community to find out about volunteer opportunities.

Learn more about how refugees make it to the United States.

Can I host a refugee family in my home?

We are deeply grateful for your compassionate response to the plight of refugees. The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ does not place refugee families in private homes because we cannot independently verify the safety of each placement. Instead, we help refugees who have been welcomed by the U.S. to rebuild their lives by helping them find their own safe, secure homes. We believe that this is a more sustainable solution that respects the inherent dignity of the people we serve.

How can I adopt a refugee child?

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ does not facilitate adoptions, but supports traumatized children and works to reunite them with family members wherever possible.

In most cases it is best for orphaned children to be placed with members of their extended family or with other families from their own communities. Read more about protocols about adoption set forth by the United Nations refugee agency and the U.S. Department of State.

Advocacy action

What is the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ doing to bring more Syrians and other refugees to the U.S.? How can I help?

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is responding to attempts to terminate refugee resettlement programs in New Jersey and Kansas as well as attempts by Texas and governors in 30 other states to prevent the resettlement of  Syrian and Iraqi refugees in their states.

Earlier, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ joined Refugee Council USA, a coalition of U.S. non-governmental organizations focused on refugee protection, in its call for 100,000 Syrian refugees to be resettled to the U.S. in 2016.

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ has expressed dismay at President Obama’s announcement that the U.S. government would increase by just 2,000 the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the country in 2016 — from 8,000 to 10,000. This latest U.S. commitment is only a first step toward alleviating the suffering of Syrian civilians.

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and members of Refugee Council USA sent a letter to the White House pledging our support to assist with the resettlement of up to 100,000 Syrians in the U.S. in 2016. The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ strongly believes that this increase is urgently needed to rescue families the United Nations refugee agency has identified as the most vulnerable. Resettling Syrian refugees in the U.S. will also relieve some of the burden on neighboring countries — Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan — that are already hosting 4 million people who have fled the conflict in Syria.

You can support this effort by calling on world leaders to make all #RefugeesWelcome and also by joining us in asking elected officials in the U.S. to offer a safe haven and a new start to Syrian families and other refugees fleeing war and persecution at home.

Where can I learn more about the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡'s relief and refugee resettlement efforts?

Read an overview of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s response to the crisis with links to pages where you can learn more about our work on behalf of refugees in Europe, Syria and neighboring countries in the Middle East, Asia and the United States.

How can I help raise awareness of the refugee crisis?

Join and the to get updates on the crisis response and work and to help us spread the word.