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Harvest Trolley in Garfield

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

The Embrace Relief Foundation and Garfield Mayor Richard Rigoglioso teamed up to deliver free healthy food to more than 100 families at Embrace Relief’s Mobile Market distribution event at the Garfield Recreation Center on Friday, Aug. 5.

Friday’s mobile market is one of many food distribution events operated throughout the year by Embrace Relief, a humanitarian nonprofit organization based in Fairfield, at different locations in Essex and Passaic counties.

Families who attended were welcomed by Embrace Relief volunteers, as well as Mayor Rigoglioso and Garfield Councilman Pawel Maslag, who helped pack bags of food from the trolley, including a selection of pasta, beans, corn, tuna, chickpeas, frozen meat packs, and other staples.

“No one should ever go hungry because they can’t afford the food they need,” said Embrace Relief CEO Osman Dulgeroglu. “But unfortunately this is sometimes the case. Today was a wonderful event, and we are very grateful for Mayor Rigoglioso for helping us provide food to people in need in Garfield.”

With the cost of food rising due to inflation and other economic factors, high-quality nutritious food is less affordable for more people than ever before. Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief program aims to meet this need and reduce food insecurity – both here in the United States, and worldwide – by partnering with community organizations to distribute food directly to our neighbors. In 2022 alone, Embrace Relief has provided food packages and hot meals to more than 130,000 people in 15 countries, including 33,000+ in the U.S.

Embrace Relief would like to thank the Garfield Community Affairs Division, the Peace Islands Institute, and the Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey for its support for this Aug. 5 event. 

Embrace Relief is a registered 501(c)(3) humanitarian nonprofit organization based in Fairfield, NJ, and dedicated to providing aid to people and communities in need in the United States and around the world. The Foundation operates programs in eight different humanitarian areas: disaster relief, hunger relief, clean water, health, education, children, refugee relief, and women’s empowerment. For more information on Embrace Relief’s programs, visit www.embracerelief.org.

How inflation drives hunger and food insecurity

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

Hunger is spiking around the world as inflation makes some foods unaffordable for a growing number of people. Join Embrace Relief in being part of the solution today with a donation for hunger relief!

Like almost everything else lately, food prices have been rising at a fast rate in nearly every part of the world. In the United States, the cost of food was up 10 percent in May 2022 compared to one year earlier. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index, which measures the average global cost for staple foods,  soared 23 percent from June 2021 to June 2022. To put it in simple, real-word terms: right now, your money buys less food than it used to. 

There isn’t any one single cause for this inflation: supply-chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change causing havoc to global agriculture, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are all just some of the factors in why food costs more. Rising food prices affect us all, causing everyone to have to set aside more of their income for this most basic human need. But of course, lower- and middle-income families and countries are hit hardest by these economic impacts.

In America, the number of food-insecure people has steadily risen in recent years, including a spike after the beginning of the pandemic. Someone is food insecure if they either do not have access to healthy food, or if they do not have the resources to acquire it. At the end of 2020, food insecurity in the U.S. had risen to more than 14 million adults and 16 million children, in large part to the many people who lost their jobs and incomes during the early days of the pandemic. Because the price of food is a key driver of food-insecurity, that number can be expected to rise even further as many lower-income and unemployed people are finding that their fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy – the nutritious food they need for a healthy body – are unaffordable.

Faced with this conundrum, more and more Americans are turning to community food banks and food pantries to supplement their nutritional needs. Demand is skyrocketing around the country, and many food banks are strapped for resources and struggling to meet the need. In order to reverse this trend, we will all need to come together and give what we can to ensure that no one goes hungry because they can’t afford food.

Help Embrace Relief deliver hunger relief

That’s where you – with the help of Embrace Relief – come in.

A commitment to fighting hunger wherever it exists on the planet is one of the foundations of Embrace Relief’s work. Since our founding, Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief programs have fed more than 1.1 million people in over 50 countries. In 2022 alone, Embrace Relief delivered food packages and hot meals to more than 130,000 people in 15 countries during our month-long campaigns in April and July.

Embrace Relief has been fortunate to forge partnerships with local organizations – including food banks and food pantries – around the globe, which allows us to deliver aid wherever it’s needed most. During our International Hunger Relief 2022 campaigns, we’ve served our neighbors in the United States, but we’ve also distributed food in sub-Saharan Africa, Greece, Yemen, Indonesia, the Philippines, and more

But we can’t do any of that without the generosity of our donors. Your support is crucial, and every donation is capable of improving the lives of real people in need – a minimum donation of just $25 can give an entire family the gift of a package full of good, nutritious food. Every dollar adds up.

So please, if you can, donate today. Help Embrace Relief fight inflation and hunger, and help thousands of people around the world get the food they need. Every contribution you make helps one more family go to bed on a full stomach, and brings us one small step closer to ending world hunger.

Donate Now!

International Hunger Relief 2022: Embrace Relief delivers meals to 132,880 people

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

As conflict, climate change, COVID-19, and inflation continue to escalate the world hunger crisis, Embrace Relief is doing its part to help feed the world.

Thus far in 2022, Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief campaigns, which took place during April for Ramadan and July for Qurbani, have provided meals and food packages for more than 130,000 people across 15 countries and four continents.

Thanks to the generosity of Embrace Relief’s donors, and the vital on-the-ground support of Embrace Relief’s local partner organizations, food distribution totaled 35,620 people during Ramadan, and 97,260 people during Qurbani.

According to the United Nations, more than 828 million people worldwide live with hunger every single day, and the number continues to grow in recent years thanks to the various economic, political and climate crises affecting the entire globe.

Because the crisis is so widespread, Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief campaigns are active in numerous regions of the world. Food packages have been delivered to people in need in Embrace Relief’s home country of the United States; numerous sub-Saharan African countries, most prominently Tanzania, Mali, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Uganda; refugees in Greece; and people living in conflict-stricken Yemen.

Hunger Relief 2022

Here are some of the highlights of Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief distribution in 2022:

  • United States (food distributed to 33,760 people): During Qurbani, Embrace Relief distributed meat packages to 5,220 families and 31,320 people at a variety of locations in the United States, including New Jersey, Texas, Atlanta, Los Angeles. During Ramadan, food packages were delivered to 460 families, while hot meals were provided for 600 people.

  • Tanzania (food distributed to 17,560 people): A total of 1,435 families, equaling 8,610 people, benefited from Embrace Relief’s Qurbani meat packages in Tanzania. The country was also the primary area of food distribution during Ramadan, with 530 families receiving food packages and 6,300 Tanzanian people receiving hot meals.

  • Philippines (food distributed to 13,320 people): The Philippines received a donation of 60 cows’ worth of meat from Embrace Relief during the Qurbani campaign. This meat was distributed to more than 2,220 families in the country, providing many meals for families in need.

  • Greece (food distributed to 12,200 people): Supporting refugee families in Greece is an important aspect of the International Hunger Relief campaign. During Ramadan, Embrace Relief delivered food packages to 1,500 families, meat packages to 550 families, and a $50 food voucher to an additional 550 families. In addition, during Qurbani, Embrace Relief provided meat packages to 700 families.

  • Mali (food distributed to 10,710 people): Embrace Relief distributed meat packages to 1,645 families in Mali for Qurbani, and food packages serving 120 families during Ramadan.

  • Yemen (food distributed to 9,200 people): The deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, where conflict has been ongoing since 2014, requires a significant response. During Ramadan, Embrace Relief began providing daily bread distribution for 1,400 Yemeni people. This life-saving distribution will continue thanks to the support of our donors. In addition, Embrace Relief provided food packages to 600 families and Eid sweets to 300 children during Ramadan. For Qurbani, an additional 600 families received meat packages.

Africa Qurbani

Other countries who received Embrace Relief food distributions included Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In all of these countries, between 1,100 and 7,100 people received food packages, meat packages, or hot meals.

Because of donors like you, the International Hunger Relief 2022 campaigns have been quite successful, with tens of thousands of vulnerable people receiving much-needed support. Embrace Relief would like to extend a most sincere thank you to all who have donated this year.

In 2023, we’re looking to reach even more people and families through our International Hunger Relief campaigns. Your generosity is the foundation on which we can achieve this goal. Together with your help, we can ensure hundreds of thousands of people have the food they need to survive and thrive.

Give Qurbani With Embrace Relief

In 2023, Qurbani will occur on June 29-30. During this time, sheep, goats, and cattle are humanely and hygienically sacrificed in adherence with common dietary restrictions. At this important time of year, join Embrace Relief and provide food for people in need in Africa (including the countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Democratic Republic of Congo), as well as Yemen, Greece, and the United States, by donating to Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief: Qurbani 2023 campaign.

Give Qurbani

Fountains of Hope: Restoring clean water service to people in need

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

Embrace Relief’s approach to the clean water crisis in sub-Saharan Africa is simple, but complicated at the same time. Since 2013, we have funded the construction of hundreds of water wells, providing communities with an easy-to-operate, easy-to-maintain piece of infrastructure that will allow them to tap into the region’s vast resources of fresh water in a safe, sustainable way. Clean water access prevents disease, promotes public health and sanitation, encourages agriculture and trade, and saves time that can be spent on education or supporting one’s family. Simple enough.

It can be more complicated to figure out the best possible locations for our wells – places where there are both high levels of human need and suitable geology for building. Embrace Relief and its partners on the ground in Chad and Cameroon are always searching for the best locations for new wells. But we’ve also found many places where a well has already been built, only to fall into disrepair and be abandoned, usually due to a lack of investment or upkeep. We see this as an opportunity. Reconstructing these previously dug, previously functioning wells is less time- and cost-intensive than building a new well from scratch, while providing the same amount of clean water.

That’s the idea behind Embrace Relief’s “Fountains of Hope” project, which we launched in 2021. While Embrace Relief continues to fund the building of new wells in Cameroon and Chad, we also keep an eye out for sites in these two countries where we can restore abandoned wells. Whether new or rebuilt, Embrace Relief’s driving goal is to provide clean water to as many communities as possible. But because reconstructed wells cost less, a donation to Fountains of Hope means you’re getting a greater impact for the same amount of money.

Fountains of Hope continues to grow thanks to the support of our donors. In 2021, the first year of the project, Embrace Relief rebuilt 50 dilapidated wells in Africa, restoring well service and clean water to more than 50,000 people. Just over halfway through 2022, we’ve exceeded last year’s total, with 60 additional wells rebuilt and 60,000 people who now have a much more accessible and safe source of drinking water.

In total, donors to Fountains of Hope provided 110,000 people with a sustainable long-term solution to their clean water needs over the last year and a half – and this is in addition to the 450,000 people in Africa who have benefitted from one of Embrace Relief’s newly built water wells since 2013.

But we still have plenty of work ahead of us, and we need your help. Donate today to Fountains of Hope, or start your own Clean Water Project fundraiser, and help us improve the quality of life for thousands more people over the next five years.

Donate Now!

Qurbani Hunger Relief Partnership

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

On a cloudy Sunday in July, volunteers from Embrace Relief and the New Spring Foundation loaded boxes full of fresh ground beef onto Embrace Relief’s mobile market. Once it was full, the bus hit the road, bound for nearby New Jersey towns like Newark, East Orange, West Orange, and Irvington. Their mission: to deliver meat packages and other supplies directly to people who need them.

This mission was one of numerous food distribution events operated by Embrace Relief as part of our successful International Hunger Relief: Qurbani 2022 campaign. In total, Embrace Relief delivered food to nearly 100,000 people in a dozen countries in July, including more than 5,200 families in the United States alone.

Hunger can be found everywhere, and as an organization dedicated to ending hunger, Embrace Relief operates in a wide variety of locations around the world. In the U.S. alone, Embrace Relief distributed meat packages to people in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Texas this month. To provide aid to as many communities as possible, Embrace Relief is constantly seeking partnerships with trusted local officials and organizations, who are best positioned to identify where the need is greatest in their communities.

“Partnerships are very important for us,” said Osman Dulgeroglu, CEO of Embrace Relief. “We are able to reach out and connect with donors, and to get products that people need. And our partners have their own network of people in need. When we work together, this is how we’re able to provide support in different places all over the world.”

Partner organizations like the New Spring Foundation are one of the three legs of Embrace Relief’s “dynamic triangle” approach to humanitarian aid, alongside donors and volunteers. New Spring is a North Jersey-based nonprofit organization providing support to incarcerated individuals as they prepare to re-enter society, as well as to families of incarcerated individuals.

New Spring regularly engages with more than 250 families in the region at any given time, offering many different activities including education, mentoring and recreation. Partnering with Embrace Relief on food distribution is a win-win for both organizations: it supports New Spring’s mission and helps Embrace Relief reach people it might otherwise not be able to access.

“Embrace Relief has been really helpful for us,” says Cihan Unsal, president of the New Spring Foundation. “Many of the people we serve are really in need, and they’re sometimes difficult to reach. They receive help from the government, but not enough. And Embrace Relief is happy to reach those needy people through us, to share their food packages. It’s a good collaboration for that reason. Embrace Relief and New Spring have different roles but we serve the same purpose.”

As one of the three legs of the “dynamic triangle,” New Spring and other fellow Embrace Relief partner organizations are vital in providing the on-the-ground logistical support to deliver aid in dozens of countries and hundreds of communities locally and internationally every single year.

Of course, this would not be possible without Embrace Relief’s donors, the second leg of the triangle. Their generosity – their urge to help others and make the world better – during the Qurbani 2022 campaign provided the funding for Embrace Relief to purchase the meat of nearly 400 cows, which would be distributed to 97,000 people in a dozen countries.

And finally, the third leg of the triangle is made up of volunteers, the selfless people who give their time and energy to do much of the hands-on work that turns our donors’ generosity into tangible aid. These are the people giving up their weekend to pack boxes of food, driving the mobile market bus, calling families to coordinate deliveries, and going door-to-door to make sure the meat packages reach the people who need it.

Together, all three legs of the triangle support each other. In turn, we are all able to improve the quality of life for thousands of people around the world at once.

Give Qurbani With Embrace Relief

In 2024, Qurbani will occur on June 16-19. During this time, sheep, goats, and cattle are humanely and hygienically sacrificed in adherence with common dietary restrictions. At this important time of year, join Embrace Relief and provide food for people in need in Africa (including the countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Democratic Republic of Congo), as well as Yemen, Greece, and the United States, by donating to Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief: Qurbani 2023 campaign.

Give Qurbani

Why is women’s empowerment important for development?

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

When women are empowered through education and given the freedom to follow their dreams, all of society benefits. That’s why Embrace Relief created its R.I.S.E. education program, which will give women in Tanzania the skills they need to launch their careers and impact the next generation of young girls. You can help them achieve by donating for women’s empowerment today.

The simplest reason why women’s empowerment is important for development is numerical: Women make up half of the world’s population. A society where only half of the population contributes to the agricultural, industrial, financial, technological or administrative sectors is a society that is falling far short of reaching its potential.

Gender equity is a universal human right, and moving towards a world where men and women are equal is an important goal on its own. But studies consistently show that in countries where women are most empowered – that is, encouraged to pursue careers of their choice, and to become leaders in business and politics – a host of positive outcomes follow. Empowered women are more economically productive and thus more economically secure, which in turn leads to more stable and successful families. This cycle promotes economic growth and development, raising standards of living, and creating a more prosperous world.

The building block of women’s empowerment, and thus increased development, is education. When young girls and women receive a full education, they gain the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the job market, become economically independent, and ascend into leadership positions.

Great strides have been made in the fight for women’s equality over the past several centuries. But there is still much work to do, especially in parts of the world where women are still significantly less likely to be educated or to participate in the workforce. In the East African country of Tanzania, where schooling can be expensive – but where an additional year of education can boost household income 30 percent – there is a great opportunity to empower women and increase development simply by making it easier for women to complete their education.

Support women’s empowerment with Embrace Relief

This is where the Embrace Relief Foundation comes in. 

Women’s education is a fundamental aspect of our mission to provide sustainable, lasting improvements to communities around the globe. That’s why we have launched our “Reach. Inspire. Support. Educate.” (R.I.S.E.) program, where we are training the next generation of teachers and administrators to be the foundation for improved education in Tanzania.

Through Embrace Relief’s R.I.S.E. program, we and our local partners are providing financial support to 24 women in Tanzania in order to help them achieve a two-year degree in Education Management and Administration (DEMA) and School Inspection (DSI). These degrees will empower the graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to break through into a male-dominated field of work, while ultimately working towards the improvement of Tanzania’s educational system for all students.

This is a life-changing opportunity for these women, and we plan to provide more assistance for even more women in the future. But we need your help.

Each donation to Embrace Relief’s R.I.S.E. program will go directly to pay for students’ tuition, health insurance, books, transportation and meals. Every $100 donated to this program can empower one more woman to unleash her potential, making her life – and the world – better for it.

Donate Now!

Make your support go further with Embrace Relief’s Clean Water Initiative

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

Humans can’t live without clean water. Unfortunately, more than 800 million people around the world are forced to.

That’s why Embrace Relief began its Clean Water Initiative nearly a decade ago. We’re focused on building and rebuilding water wells in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 200 million people do not have safe and accessible sources of drinking water. Our wells are built in and around communities that otherwise would need to travel an average of 3 miles per day to get their water. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we’ve built 450 new wells and rebuilt 50 broken wells, providing clean water to a half-million people.

The key to our success is the simplicity and elegance of Embrace Relief’s wells. Our well pipes are installed approximately 45 meters below ground, deeper than many other organization’s wells (which average around 30 meters depth). This is deep enough to ensure only the highest-quality and safest groundwater enters our pipes. Our wells also utilize a mechanical hand-pump system to extract that groundwater.

The simplicity of Embrace Relief’s wells is important for two big reasons. First, the hand pump can be operated by people of all ages and abilities, while maintenance is relatively simple. (Our wells are also guaranteed for at least five years under our warranty, which covers all maintenance costs and includes regular quality checks.) And second, each of Embrace Relief’s wells cost $3,500 to build, significantly less than the average asking price of nearly $10,000. (For an extra $1,300 donation, Embrace Relief’s will add an additional five years onto the well’s warranty.) All of that means your donation goes further with Embrace Relief.

So how can you help solve the clean water crisis? Embrace Relief has three easy ways to donate and support our efforts to bring water to communities that need it most:

  1. Donate to our Clean Water Initiative: All direct donations to our Clean Water Initiative will go towards the building of new water wells in areas of Africa where they’re most needed. You can donate any amount, and every little bit counts! Each $3,500 we raise builds another well and provides another community of 1,000+ people with clean water for at least the next five years.

  2. Donate to our Fountains of Hope Project: Like any other infrastructure, water wells need to be maintained to function properly. (That’s why Embrace Relief’s one-of-its-kind warranty covers all maintenance and upkeep costs for five years, with regular check-ins.) If the resources aren’t available to maintain the wells, they often fall into disrepair and disuse. Embrace Relief’s Fountains of Hope Project targets these abandoned wells and rebuilds them, which is more cost-efficient than building a new well, while also easing the burden on other nearby sources of water. Our goal for 2022 is to fund the rebuilding of 250 wells, providing clean water to an extra 250,000 people.

  3. Start your own Water Well Project: Do you have a group of family members, friends, coworkers, classmates, or employees who want to work together to help build a water well of your very own? You can work together to fundraise as a group for a Water Well Project! Simply click the link and fill out the application form to get started. After your project is approved, you’ll have six months to raise money to fund your well. Once you’ve accomplished that, we will keep you posted on your well’s progress until it’s complete. In addition to the peace of mind that comes with providing life-giving water to thousands of people, a Water Well Project is a great way for you to build community and leave a lasting mark on the world.

Donate Now!
Embrace Relief Qurban

How much protein should I eat in a day?

Posted on | by Leo Wilson

Protein is an important part of a balanced diet. Read on below to find out how much protein you need every day, and what foods will provide it for you. In the meantime, why not help people in need around the world get the protein they need? Donate today to Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief: Qurbani 2022 campaign and give people the gift of a full stomach.

According to the U.S. Dietary Reference Intake, a sedentary young adult should consume about 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight every single day. So if you weigh 150 pounds, it is recommended you consume 54 grams of protein every day. 

Your daily recommended amount of protein is greater if you are over the age of 40 (a recommended protein intake of 0.54 grams per pound will help offset the loss of muscle mass that occurs as we age.) Young adults who exercise regularly should also eat or drink additional protein, in the 0.6-0.7 grams-per-pound range – that is to say, a highly active 150-pound adult should consume approximately 90-100 grams of protein a day.

No matter your age or activity level, protein is an important component of a healthy diet. Consuming protein provides us with the fuel our bodies need to get through the day, and the amino acids inside the protein-rich food we eat are the building block of body tissue, promoting our body’s growth and maintenance.

This is why it’s important to be mindful of your diet. Foods including all types of meat, poultry, eggs, fish, eggs and cheese are called “complete” sources of protein, because they contain all of the different types of amino acids that our bodies need. Other foods, like rice, beans, corn and tofu, contain only some of these amino acids on their own, but can make up part of a perfectly healthy protein diet when combined (like a meal including both rice and beans).

So how much protein are you getting from each kind of food? Here’s a breakdown:

  • 1 egg = 6 grams of protein
  • 1 cup of soy milk = 7 grams of protein
  • 1 cup of skim milk = 8 grams of protein
  • 1 cup of rice or pasta = 9 grams of protein
  • 5 ounces of Greek yogurt = 12-18 grams of protein
  • 0.5 cups of cottage cheese = 14 grams of protein
  • 3 ounces of crab or lobster = 18 grams of protein
  • 1 cup of quinoa = 18 grams of protein
  • 3 ounces of beef, pork, lamb, poultry or fish = 21 grams of protein
  • 3 ounces of cheese = 21 grams of protein

If you eat a varied diet as most Americans do – whether omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan – you very likely eat more than enough protein per day to keep your body healthy and strong. It’s easy to take our abundance for granted.

But for millions of people around the world living in impoverished conditions, who don’t have the luxury of selecting all of the foods they need to balance their diet, getting enough protein is a daily struggle.

Donate meat to people in need this Qurbani

That’s where you – with the help of Embrace Relief – come in.

A commitment to fighting hunger wherever it exists on the planet is one of the foundations of Embrace Relief’s work. To mark Qurbani and the celebration of Eid in July, Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief: Qurbani 2022 campaign is providing meat packages to tens of thousands of needy people in more than a dozen countries, including in sub-Saharan Africa, the United States, Greece and Yemen.

Embrace Relief’s Qurbani packages will contain sheep, cattle or goat meat, all of which has been 100% humanely and hygienically slaughtered. This meat is high in fat, protein, minerals and vitamins. For many of the recipients we serve, this may be their only chance to access the nutritional benefits of meat all year.

The cost for each package in each area we serve depends on the local market price for the meat. Here’s how much it would cost for you to lessen the burden of hunger for eight families this Qurbani:

  • Africa: $175
  • United States: $265
  • Greece: $265
  • Yemen: $265

With your help, we can combat food shortages and provide hope to people in need in places like sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, Greece and the United States. Every contribution you make helps one more family go to bed on a full stomach, and brings us one small step closer to ending world hunger.

Donate Now!