The Basics
Multifaith Alliance (MFA) is the United States’ leading interfaith response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Comprised of over 100 participating organizations, MFA is a coordinating body, a network, and a vehicle for harnessing the power of the faith-based and civil society collective.
MFA is a 501(c)(3) organization.
MFA is a project of the Tides Center. As a 501(c)3 organization, the Tides Center (Tax ID 94-3213100) is authorized to receive tax-deductible contributions on behalf of MFA.
MFA’s Fund A Container program allows you to pay the cost of shipping a container of life-saving humanitarian aid to those in need in Syria and track its progress from packing to its arrival in Syria.
Making Your Donation
The cost is $6,500.
No. The $6,500 donation covers only the shipping cost of the container. MFA and its partners have developed a broad network of organizations that donate the relief supplies that fill each container.
Yes. But MFA will not be able to ship a container without the full donation of $6,500. MFA cannot accept partial donations for the Fund A Container program. If you would like to donate a different amount to support MFA’s humanitarian efforts, please click here to access our donation page.
We encourage you to work with your friends, family, coworkers, and others to fundraise.
Yes. MFA collects all online credit card donations with the online fundraising platform Neon One.
You can make your donation by credit card or by check. To make a donation by credit card, just click here to visit our Donate page. To donate by check, pleases make the check payable to “Multifaith Alliance” and mail to: Multifatih Alliance, 6 East 43rd Street, Floor 22, New York, NY 10017, USA. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address in the correspondence accompanying your check so we may contact you with details about your shipment and also send you a tax receipt and a report about the impact your container had on the recipient community.
No. MFA, unfortunately, cannot accept cash donations.
Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law. For donations of $250 or more, donors will receive a letter from MFA acknowledging your contribution.
All donations of any amount will receive a letter of appreciation (noting the donation amount) from Multifaith Alliance.
Yes. Individuals and groups may fund containers.
Relief Supplies
MFA’s containers respond to specific needs in the region. Therefore, the kind of relief supplies in each container can vary. Containers may include food, clothing, medicines, medical supplies and equipment – or an assortment of these.
MFA facilitates domestic and international shipping for timely and secure delivery to Syria, northern Iraq and Lebanon. We work with shipping companies primarily in the U.S. and Canada to ship the containers to Turkish ports, from where the containers are trucked across the border to our Syrian NGO working on the ground to deliver the supplies directly to our recipients.
MFA sends humanitarian aid to those who are displaced in northern Syria, northern Iraq and since the destruction of its port, to Lebanon. These areas have an estimated population of close to 4 million people.
Healthcare: The deliberate targeting of Syria’s hospitals, medical facilities, doctors and medical workers since the war began over 11 years ago has all but destroyed its healthcare infrastructure. As a result, many people are unable to receive even basic care. Our humanitarian relief focuses on sending medical supplies, medical equipment and medicines to support hospitals and clinics in providing better care and helping to rebuild the healthcare system.
In 2021 MFA opened two healthcare facilities. One delivers primary healthcare and the other is a diagnostic center. Since they opened, these facilities have provided medical services to over 30,000 people. Our supplies also help one of our local partners to provision its health centers, including a major health complex, mobile clinics, nutrition clinics, physical therapy centers, and urgent care.
Basic Necessities: In addition, MFA partners with local Syrian NGOs that work in over 20 internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps across northern Syria and northern Iraq. Conditions in the camps are deplorable without access to basic necessities. MFA sends food, water purifiers, hygiene kits, and clothing to the camps. Things like soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are luxury items.
Fortunately, MFA has a direct presence inside Syria, and along with a strong network of local partners, we are able to identify precise supplies needed in exact locations and by specific groups. We get the right aid to the right place.
Donors can name their container after making a $6,500 donation. For an additional cost, MFA will produce and hang a banner with the name of the container and an image/logo of the donor’s choice. More information will be provided to interested donors.
Yes. Once the container reaches Syria, the relief supplies will be photographed (with banner, if applicable) and sent to you. Often, we photograph donor communities receiving the aid and can share their stories as well.
On average, the entire process of shipping a container may take 2-3 months from collecting and packing relief supplies to arriving in Syria. However, it could take a little longer, depending on the number of outgoing containers and the availability of relief supplies.
More Questions?
If you have any additional questions not listed here, please email hope.leone@multifaithalliance.org with Fund A Container in the subject line or reach out by phone to 917-810-3695.