Aid Organizations Working in Ebola Regions

Last night, Ian Mackay posted this very disturbing logistics/supply chain chart, showing that some personal protective equipment stock in countries battling Ebola are at “zero” – and have been for a while. Articles from the and New York Times bleakly illustrate just how bad the situation has become.

Because, contrary to popular opinion, humans don’t always suck, people seeing these posts immediately started asking what they can do to help and began brainstorming ways to crowd-fund supplies. However, as Twitter user Macrophagic so succinctly put it, the best thing to do right now is use established supply lines.For more information on why this is the case, read Harvard professor Calestous Juma’s excellent Al Jazeera op-ed on how the lack of infrastructure in the affected region and how this affects all public health.

In support of both people’s inclination to give, and to have that giving filter through established supply lines, here is a list of trustworthy organizationsTrustworthy as defined by me, based on research, name recognition, and Charity Navigator if possible. Vague, I know, but I wanted to get an international-as-possible list up as quickly as I could. that, as of Sunday, August 17, are still operating in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. I’ll update this list as I come across more information, or as people enter/leave the affected region(s). Feel free to add your suggestions in comments.

Please check to see if your workplace does matching donations for charity.

The CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that connects individuals and the private sector with CDC’s expertise and distribution channels. The Fund’s Global Disaster Relief Response Fund is only activated during extreme emergencies, and has been activated for the Ebola crisis. They are providing personal protective equipment, communications equipment, emergency operations equipment, and funds for public health campaigns. The CDC Foundation received a rating of 96.07 from Charity Navigator. Donations are accepted worldwide.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network. Their donation page currently has a Syria crisis appeal, but if you select “donate,” the second option is for their Ebola campaign. You can also make a donation to your specific Red Cross or Red Cresent; here is the link to the American Red Cross website; that donation is tax-deductible. (I would recommend donating directly to the IFRC website, as that is guaranteed for Ebola efforts.) The American Red Cross receives an 85.25 rating from Charity Navigator.

Updated 21 August: Here’s the link to the Australian Red Cross donation page. They’re helping with awareness, contact tracing, medical treatment, and burial.

Direct Relief
Direct Relief is coordinating with doctors on the ground in Sierra Leone and Liberia to provide personal protective equipment and other supplies, which are being sourced directly from manufacturers. You can direct your donation to their Ebola efforts; they accept international donations. Charity Navigator gives Direct Funds a pretty amazing 99.71 rating.

AmeriCares
AmeriCares is organizing air shipments to hospitals in Liberia that have no necessary personal protective equipment, including gloves, gowns, and masks. They are accepting contributions for future shipments. AmeriCares receives a rating of 92.89 from Charity Navigator. Donations are tax-deductible.

Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
MSF has been pushed to its limits in the outbreak region, and vocal about it. What they need right now, however, is not more supplies, but more people. Their current fundraising campaign for Ebola is listed as fulfilled, and they are requesting that donations be made to their general fund for a more flexible response. MSF anticipates being in the West African region for at least six more months, so it’s entirely likely that they will re-open fundraising for that region. That said, given the extended timeline, it’s plausible general funds will be used. However, they are working in multiple regions of the world, so there is no guarantee that donations to the general fund will be used in West Africa. MSF/Doctors Without Borders receives a 92.03 rating from Charity Navigator. Donations are tax-deductible.

Added 21 August
World Food Programme
With quarantine (quite literally cordon sanitaires) enacted in many of the Ebola-affected regions, food supplies are becoming critical. The World Food Programme is ramping up efforts to feed people caught in the Ebola quarantines. You can read more about that here, and donate at this link. World Food Programme is 100% funded by donations, and the US arm of the organization receives an 89.11 from Charity Navigator. US residents who would like their donation to be tax deductible can donate here.

Added 25 August
UC San Francisco: Support the Emergency Ebola Response
UCSF clinician Dan Kelly has returned to Sierra Leone to operate a nationwide distribution network for emergency medications and supplies from their international partners; support the Ebola isolation and referral center at Kono’s Public Hospital; implement strict screening and control measures at the UCSF facility in Sierra Leone; coordinate emergency referrals to Ebola treatment centers in Kailahun District; collaborate with the District Health Management Team to implement effective contact tracing and sensitive community engagement. There is a matching gift opportunity here; every gift of $250 or more will be matched up to $50,000 total, through 30 September, thanks to the generosity of an Anonymous Donor. International donations are accepted, and US donations are tax-deductible.

Added 2 Sept
UNICEF
UNICEF is working in Nigeria to help quell their Ebola outbreak. Those in the United States can make a tax deductible donation at this link. If you’re an international donor, go here to find your country. The United States Fund for UNICEF is rated 93.69 by Charity Navigator.

Elizabeth R Griffin Research Foundation
The Griffin Foundation is working in Nigeria; you can find donation information here. I don’t know much about the group, but the foundation was formed in memory of a woman who died after contracting macaque-born B virus. The foundation works worldwide to promote safe and responsible practices for handling biological materials. So, you know, seems like they’re pretty useful right now. This foundation has not been rated by Charity Navigator.

Hospitals for Humanity
Hospitals for Humanity provide quality and affordable health care in disaster areas and people in the developing world. In addition to providing care, they also provide medical training and education to the local population. You can help by either volunteering for a medical mission or donating. Hospitals for Humanity has applied for 501(c)(3) status, but not received it yet. They are not rated by Charity Navigator.

Added 8 September
Global Giving Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund

Ebola continues to spread across West Africa, with the number of those affected continuing to rise dramatically. The latest report from the World Health Organization counts 3,069 cases of Ebola in the region and 1,552 deaths from the disease so far.

Global Giving’s Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund focuses on getting grant money on the ground fast, so that rapid responses to changing situations can be made. They are in the middle of a 400,000 fundraising appeal. Here is a full list of grants to date:
- BRAC (Sierra Leone) — $10,000
– DEVELOP AFRICA (Sierra Leone) – $26,000
- DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (Sierra Leone) — $5,000
- FOUNDATION FOR RESTORING WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE TO LIBERIA (Liberia) – $18,000
- GBOWEE PEACE FOUNDATION (Liberia) — $5,000
- GREATEST GOAL MINISTRIES (Sierra Leone) – $20,000
- IMANI HOUSE (Liberia) – $30,000
- INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS (Sierra Leone) – $10,000
- INTERNEWS (Guinea) — $10,000
- LIFELINE ENERGY (Liberia) — $5,000
- WEST POINT WOMEN FOR HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (Liberia) — $10,000

Global Giving is a charity fundraising web site that receives an impressive 97.94 rating from Charity Navigator. An anonymous donor is matching all new recurring monthly donations to the Ebola Epidemic Relief Fund. Donations are tax deductible for Americans.