From Reuters AlertNet:
NAIROBI, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The World Food Programme (WFP) appealed on Friday for $9 million to maintain food aid for 224,000 refugees sheltering in Kenya whose rations have already been cut by 12 percent.
Rations were reduced in November when WFP ran out of wheat flour, and the U.N. food agency warned that by April it will have exhausted available commodities for the refugees, who are mainly from Sudan and Somalia.
When I heard this story this morning, I immediately thought about the fundraising power the blogosphere displayed this election cycle...
This June, John Kerry raised $12.1 million through the internet, $5 million all coming in two record shattering days (6/29 and 6/30). Readers of Daily Kos, MyDD, and Atrios have donated nearly $800,000 to Democratic campaigns. (More if you consider that every reader who donates isn't donating through blogs.)
Well, the election is over, but the giving does not have to stop. We're all being swamped with fundraising requests this time of year from any number of organizations who are engaged in great work around the world. But the problems facing the World Food Programme in Kenya are right here, right now. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at stake.
Immediate food aid is not going to solve the core problems causing this crisis -- war, political and religious persecution, drought. Everyone knows that. Organizations like Oxfam, The Carter Center, and Heifer International are all doing great work in the field of promoting sustainable living and deserve our support. Still, long term solutions mean little if there's no one left to carry them out.
If we all get together and commit to this, I think we can make a real impact. If nothing else, I'd just like to see the blogosphere flex its muscle in a way that proves we're capable of so much more than we've been given credit for.
Here is a link to donate online to the World Food Programme.
http://www.wfp.org/how_to_help/support_wfp/online.html
Remember to click the button for "WFP operation(s) in" and chose "Kenya" from the drop-down menu. In the comments, you can mention DailyKos.com, but that really isn't necessary. The important part is that they get the money -- not that we get the credit.
Thanks for reading.
PS - As this is not a partisan problem, please make everyone you know aware of the World Food Programme's crisis in Kenya. Conservative money is just as good as progressive money.