InterAction members respond to the crisis in the Caucasus

InterAction Press-Release

International aid organizations are mobilizing a response to the humanitarian crisis following the recent outbreak of fighting between Georgian and Russian forces. The United Nations now estimates that up to 100,000 people have been displaced, adding to a previous caseload of over 220,000 internally displaced from hostilities in the early 1990s. According to Russian and Georgian officials, up to 30,000 refugees have fled northward into Russia since the Georgian offensive to retake control of the autonomous territory of South Ossetia began on August 8th. It is estimated that 56,000 people have fled from the Gori region in Georgia toward the capital Tbilisi, approximately 80% of the population of the town.

Twenty-two InterAction member organizations are responding to the humanitarian needs with emergency medical, food, shelter, water and hygiene supplies. Many organizations have offices in the region implementing health, education and conflict resolution programs, which have been mobilized to respond to the emergency needs. It is hoped Tuesday’s cessation of hostilities following the Russian government’s decision to halt its offensive will allow humanitarian organizations to access the affected populations to deliver much needed aid.

The U.S. Embassy in Georgia issued a Disaster Declaration on Sunday, August 10, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced an initial $250,000 in emergency assistance for the people of Georgia. Countries throughout the world have pledged their assistance, and are calling for protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. The Government of Georgia has requested humanitarian assistance, specifically medicines, medical supplies, emergency shelter items and food.

A regularly updated list of agencies responding will be available at:
www.interaction.org/caucasus

InterAction has also developed guidelines on the most appropriate ways to help those affected by overseas disasters: https://www.interaction.org/disaster/guide_giving.html.
InterAction is a coalition of more than 160 US-based private relief, international development and refugee assistance organizations. InterAction members have agreed to abide by a set of standards to ensure accountability to donors, professional competence and quality of service.

ORGANIZATIONS RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS IN THE CAUCASUS

ADRA International
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring MD 20904
1.800.424.ADRA (2372)
www.adra.org

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
PO Box 530
132 East 43rd St.
New York, NY 10017,
212-687-6200
www.jdc.org

American Red Cross
International Response Fund
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, DC 20013
1-800-RED-CROSS
www.redcross.org

Baptist World Alliance
Georgia Conflict
405 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
1-703-790-8980
www.bwanet.org/bwaid

CARE
151 Ellis Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
1-800-521-2273
www.care.org

Catholic Relief Services
Georgia Emergency Fund
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
877-HELP-CRS
www.crs.org

CHF International
8601 Georgia Avenue #800
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-587-4700
www.chfinternational.org

Church World Service
28606 Phillips Street
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
1-800-297-1516
www.churchworldservice.org

Giving Children Hope/Global Operations for Development
8332 Commonwealth Ave
Buena Park, CA 90621
714-523-4454
https://www.gchope.org/sending-aid-to-georgia.html

International Orthodox Christian Charities
P.O. Box 630225
Baltimore, MD 21263-0225
1-877-803-IOCC (4622)
www.iocc.org

International Medical Corps
1919 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 400
Santa Monica, CA 90404
800-481-4462
www.imcworldwide.org

International Relief and Development
1621 North Kent Street
Fourth Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
703-248-0161
www.ird.org

International Rescue Committee
Georgia Crisis
PO Box 96651
Washington, DC 20090-6651
1-877-REFUGEE (877 733 8433)
www.theirc.org

Lutheran World Relief
Caucasus Emergency Response
P.O. Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832
1-800-597-5972
www.lwr.org

Mercy Corps
Georgia Conflict Fund
Dept NR
PO Box 2669
Portland OR 97208
1-800-852-2100
https://www.mercycorps.org/countries/georgia/

Project HOPE
255 Carter Hall Lane
Millwood, VA 22646
1-800-544-4673
www.projecthope.org

Relief International
Emergency Response Fund
1575 Westwood Blvd
Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-478-1200
www.ri.org

Save the Children
Georgia Children in Crisis Fund
54 Wilton Road
Westport, CT 06880
1-800-728-3843
www.savethechildren.org

United Methodist Committee on Relief
Georgia Emergency #250305
PO Box 9068
New York, NY 10087
1-800-554-8583
www.umcor.org

U.S. Fund for UNICEF
125 Maiden Lane
New York, NY 10038
1-800-4-UNICEF
www.unicefusa.org

World Vision
P.O. Box 9716
Federal Way, WA 98063
1-888-56-CHILD
www.worldvision.org

DETAILS OF ASSISTANCE BEING PROVIDED

ADRA International www.adra.org
12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring MD 20904 1.800.424.ADRA (2372)

(August 12, 2008) ADRA is assessing the immediate needs of thousands of displaced persons in and around the region of South Ossetia who have been affected by the recent civil unrest. ADRA plans to provide emergency aid such as food, clean water, blankets, and basic shelter. Currently, ADRA is accepting financial contributions to help the communities in distress. Donations can be made securely at www.adra.org or by calling 1-800-424-ADRA (2372).

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee www.jdc.org
PO Box 530, 132 East 43rd St., New York, NY, 10017, 212-687-6200

(August 12, 2008) JDC is currently providing humanitarian aid to victims and refugees of the conflict in the South Ossetia region of the Caucasus.

American Red Cross www.redcross.org
International Response Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013, 1-800-RED-CROSS

(August 12, 2008) The American Red Cross is helping people affected and displaced by the conflict in Georgia through a $100,000 contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). This contribution is in support of an appeal issued by ICRC on August 11, 2008 to meet immediate humanitarian needs resulting from this conflict, including assistance to civilians in South Ossetia, and those displaced in the northern Caucasus and Georgia.

Baptist World Alliance www.bwanet.org/bwaid
Georgia Conflict, 405 North Washington Street Falls Church, VA 22046,1-703-790-8980

(August 12, 2008) Baptist World Aid (BWAid) the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is working with the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia to provide relief to those suffering from the recent conflict. Relief will be provided to all in need and distributed through the 50 Baptist churches in Georgia.

CARE www.care.org
151 Ellis Street NE Atlanta, GA 30303 1-800-521-2273

(August 11, 2008) CARE has operated in Georgia since 1992, initially working with local organizations to assist people displaced by conflict. Under UN coordination and with other humanitarian organizations, CARE will provide water and sanitation, food and shelter to people displaced in this latest conflict. CARE has operated in rural areas of the country and in the Guria region, working to reduce poverty and advance healthcare and livelihoods. CARE staff of 70 people are primarily nationals.

Catholic Relief Services www.crs.org

Georgia Emergency Fund, P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, MD 21203-7090 877-HELP-CRS

(August 12, 2008) Catholic Relief Services is supporting the emergency relief efforts of Caritas Georgia and Caritas Internationalis in responding to the needs of people displaced by the conflict in Georgia. CRS is supporting a Caritas Georgia soup kitchen in Tbilisi, which is feeding hundreds of people three meals per day. CRS will also provide medical supplies and other material to overburdened hospitals in the capital Tbilisi and in Gori, where much of the fighting has taken place. CRS is also looking to support returning families in rehabilitating destroyed homes and reestablishing their lives. As additional funding becomes available, the programs of CRS and its local NGO partners will be scaled up.

CHF International www.chfinternational.org
8601 Georgia Avenue #800, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-587-4700

(August 12, 2008) CHF International is deeply concerned over the conflict in Georgia and its impact on the civilian population. Since 2004, CHF International has worked with communities throughout Georgia to build economic infrastructure, develop livelihoods and build community capacity. CHF’s nationwide presence includes experience in areas neighboring South Ossetia and Abkhazia such as Gori and Zugdidi. CHF is currently assessing the situation and is committed to providing humanitarian assistance where necessary. Globally, CHF International is a leader in emergency shelter and livelihoods interventions with large humanitarian programs in countries including Colombia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.

Church World Service www.churchworldservice.org
28606 Phillips Street, P.O. Box 968 Elkhart, IN 46515, 1-800-297-1516

(August 12, 2008) Church World Service directly supports two local partners in Georgia, and other partners by way of the Action by Churches Together-International network. The CWS Europe office continues to monitor the situation and is in contact with partners affected by this crisis. CWS is ready to assist the estimated 100,000 people uprooted by fighting by providing material resources and financial support.

Giving Children Hope/Global Operations for Development https://www.gchope.org/sending-aid-to-georgia.html
8332 Commonwealth Ave, Buena Park, CA 90621, 714-523-4454

(August 12, 2008) Giving Children Hope is moving quickly to provide assistance to thousands of children and family members caught in the crossfire of an armed conflict in the region of South Ossetia bordering on Russia and Georgia. Giving Children Hope has helped ship humanitarian aid to that region since 1994.

Giving Children Hope is preparing to assist 10,000 children and family members affected by the conflict, with basic health and hygiene supplies as well as cooking provisions and other household items.

Monetary donations are currently being accepted at www.gchope.org to procure disaster relief items. Giving Children Hope is accepting in-kind donations of blankets, water and non-perishable food.

International Orthodox Christian Charities www.iocc.org
Post Office Box 630225, Baltimore, MD 21263-0225, 1-877-803-IOCC (4622)

(August 11, 2008) International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) has mobilized staff in its Tbilisi and Moscow offices to provide assistance to those who have been affected by this widening conflict. IOCC is working in partnership with the Georgian Orthodox Church to provide food and hygiene supplies to IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the town of Gori and in the capital of Tbilisi. IOCC is also assisting refugees in North Ossetia with medical and food supplies provided in partnership with the Russian Orthodox Church.

International Medical Corps www.imcworldwide.org
1919 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 400 Santa Monica, CA 90404 800-481-4462

(August 11, 2008) International Medical Corps’ assessment has found that South Ossetians displaced by the conflict to North Ossetia are in need of non-food items including warm clothing, blankets and hygiene supplies. South Ossetians fleeing the violence are also in need of mental health support. International Medical Corps has worked in Russia since 2000, with programs in North Ossetia for the past two years. IMC is accepting in-kind donations of non-food items, including warm clothing, blankets, hygiene items, medicines and medical supplies.

International Relief and Development www.ird.org
1621 North Kent Street Fourth Floor Arlington, VA 22209 703-248-0161

(August 12, 2008) In response to the recent violence, IRD has immediately offered the Georgian government use of all of the pharmaceuticals and medical supplies available through its Emergency Medical Commodities Distribution program in Georgia. IRD is also acting as the lead agency for UNICEF on water and sanitation assessments and a partner agency for USAID on health assessments at collective centers that are currently housing thousands of internally displaced people. IRD also has staff in Zugdidi providing ongoing information and assessing conditions, and is actively participating in Tblisi with the UN Coordination Management Team’s emergency relief efforts. IRD is accepting gifts-in kind, including pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and non-food items in particular. To help IRD and learn more about the critically needed response, please visit our web site at www.ird.org.

International Rescue Committee www.theirc.org
Georgia Crisis, PO Box 96651 Washington, DC 20090-6651, 1-877-REFUGEE (877 733 8433)

(August 12, 2008) The International Rescue Committee’s team in N. Ossetia, Russia, is distributing essential relief items to refugees who have fled there to escape violence in Georgia’s disputed region of S. Ossetia. The IRC will also be supporting a local group that is aiding evacuated orphans and other children from S. Ossetia and reuniting separated families. IRC emergency experts are set to conduct a rapid assessment in Georgia with a view toward launching humanitarian aid efforts there and are prepared to expand relief work throughout the region. A leading aid organization in the Caucasus since 1994, the IRC maintains a staff of 85 aid workers in the region. The IRC is accepting donations to help carry out immediate and long-term recovery assistance in the region. For more information, visit www.theIRC.org.

Lutheran World Relief www.lwr.org
Caucasus Emergency Response, P.O. Box 17061 Baltimore, MD 21298-9832, 1-800-597-5972

(August 11, 2008) Through the ACT international alliance, LWR is providing emergency food and hygiene supplies to displaced people in Georgia and southern Russia.

Mercy Corps https://www.mercycorps.org/countries/georgia/
Georgia Conflict Fund, Dept NR, PO Box 2669, Portland OR 97208, 1-800-852-2100

(August 11, 2008) Mercy Corps is responding to the needs of displaced people in Georgia after intense fighting erupted there last week. The agency is assessing the humanitarian situation, and has allocated resources to get aid to people immediately. Mercy Corps has already purchased essential food items – including bread, rice and oil – and plans to distribute them to hundreds of displaced people in the coming week. Likely distribution points will be in and around the capital city of Tbilisi. Mercy Corps has worked in Georgia since 2000. The agency’s programs support rural development by helping farm families increase production, gain access to financing, form farmer groups, and connect to markets and information.

Project HOPE www.projecthope.org
255 Carter Hall Lane, Millwood, VA 22646, 1-800-544-4673

(August 12, 2008) Project HOPE, an international health education and humanitarian assistance organization, immediately will provide $400,000 of antibiotics to the people of Georgia through a U.S. Department of State airlift that will travel to Tbilisi later this week. In addition, Project HOPE continues to work with both U.S. and Georgian government officials to identify and address long-term health care needs of the Georgian people. Project HOPE currently has a humanitarian assistance shipment of $1.4 million of medicines and medical supplies on the ground in Georgia that arrived just as the conflict commenced. The shipment may be redirected to assist in conflict relief efforts.

Relief International www.ri.org
Emergency Response Fund, 1575 Westwood Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90024, 310-478-1200

(August 12, 2008) Relief International is currently assessing the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia where up to 100,000 have been displaced. RI program response will be expanded as emergency and long-term needs are detailed. The RI Rapid Emergency Deployment (RED) team is currently on standby to provide additional assistance. The RED team is a mobile, rapid response team with the capability to effectively respond to disaster and conflict situations worldwide. To help, please donate now to RI’s Emergency Response Fund (ERF). The ERF is RI’s revolving emergency fund, drawn upon only for emergencies throughout the world, including the current crisis in South Ossetia.

Save the Children www.savethechildren.org
Georgia Children in Crisis Fund, 54 Wilton Road, Westport, CT 06880, 800-728-3843

(August 12, 2008) Save the Children has issued an urgent appeal for $1 million to meet the critical needs of thousands of children and their families forced to flee their homes as a result of the ongoing conflict between Georgia and Russia. Save the Children’s top priorities are to provide clean water and shelter to displaced children and families. Save the Children is currently focusing its efforts at 11 different shelters set up for children and families. The charity has bought food for 1,600 people for a 10-day period which will be distributed throughout the shelter sites. Save the Children also will be purchasing medicines for hospitals that are running short of supplies. Staff members are also putting together health, household and hygiene kits.

United Methodist Committee on Relief www.umcor.org
Georgia Emergency #250305, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087, 800-554-8583

(August 12, 2008) UMCOR’s Georgia office is providing health kits to displaced people, medicines and medical supplies to local hospitals and is the lead coordinating agency for medicines and medical supplies being provided through U.S. Government-sponsored emergency airlifts. Continued assessments will determine additional relief efforts. UMCOR is also coordinating with key humanitarian agencies for immediate responses and anticipates assisting in long-term recovery following recent events.

U.S. Fund for UNICEF www.unicefusa.org
125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038, 1-800-4-UNICEF

(August 11, 2008) The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is collecting donations to put toward UNICEF’s response. UNICEF is working closely with UN agencies on the ground, assessing the situation and immediate needs. At present, access to the zones of conflict is extremely difficult. Offers of humanitarian assistance have been made by the UN to the governments of Georgia and Russia Federation. UNICEF has offices in Tbilisi, Georgia, and in Moscow, and Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia) in the Russian Federation, where it is working closely with government counterparts and partners in the implementation of country programs of cooperation. They are closely monitoring the situation and have regular contact with the relevant government authorities.

World Vision https://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?lid=510&item=406&lpos=emg_georgiaAug08_DonateNow&
P.O. Box 9716 Federal Way, WA 98063 1-888-56-CHILD

(August 11, 2008) With 155 staff already working in Georgia, World Vision has reached some 700 people since Saturday with essential food such as canned meat, pasta, vegetable oil and iodized salt. The organization is also providing blankets, bedding, hygiene items and medical supplies. World Vision is working with the United Nation’s World Food Program (WFP) to meet the needs of displaced people in 11 displacement centers, while carrying out needs assessments across Tbilisi, with a special focus on the needs of children

Press Contacts:
Nasserie Carew (202-667-8227 x561 or ncarew@interaction.org)

NGO Contacts:
Jim Bishop (202-667-8227 x524 or jbishop@interaction.org)
Linda Poteat (202-667-8227 x526 or lpoteat@interaction.org)