Rachel Corrie Foundation For Peace And Justice

Education of the public and of local state and federal government officials about the issue of Israel and Palestine and the Middle East and the impact of events there on our own communities: As demands have increased due to the Gaza Israel war RCF has expanded its education networking and organizing efforts to respond to the significant emergent interest in the Middle East Palestinian rights and universal basic rights - interest that surfaced in our own community and region and across the U.S. and world. RCF has sponsored cosponsored and participated in multiple educational events and has helped to lead educational and advocacy efforts with city council members state legislators and members of Congress calling for ceasefire resolutions an end to the violence and freedom equality and peace with justice for all. RCF joined with and supported the development of two new organizations in our region the Washington Coalition for Peace and Justice which hosted a first-ever Palestine Advocacy Day at the state capitol in Olympia and Palestine Action of South Sound which engaged in education and advocacy on the issue of Palestine throughout Thurston County. RCF resources supported educational efforts through electronic newsletters social media and print materials. RCF personnel were featured in local national and international media and appeared as public speakers.

Education Funding Project for Gaza Refugee Children in Egypt: Refugee children from Gaza are denied enrollment in the Egyptian public school system. In keeping with RCFs long history of supporting grassroots projects in Gaza that provided for the needs of children and families RCF helped fund a project in Egypt to provide schooling for refugee youth from Gaza. Funding covered tuition fees and books and materials for the 2024-2025 academic year and allowed Gaza children who had already missed a year of their schooling to resume their studies in private schools in Egypt. Beneficiaries were identified by the organization Donkeysaddle Projects and selected from a list of recent refugees from Gaza. Private Egyptian schools accepting students were identified by the Donkeysaddle Project Coordinator in Egypt.

Grants to U.S. charities providing humanitarian aid directly in Gaza: Through organization and local community fundraising efforts RCF was able to provide grants to the following U.S. based 501c3 organizations equipped to provide various forms of direct humanitarian assistance to children and families in Gaza: $750 to the Gaza Mental Health Foundation to support the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme which strives to improve the mental health of the Gaza community through clinical social research and training services with emphasis on the rights of women children and victims of violence; $6,664 to the Middle East Childrens Alliance MECA which works to protect the rights and improve the lives of children in the Middle East through aid empowerment and education and in Gaza has procured and delivered food and hygiene supplies partnered to run community kitchens to provide hot meals installed water purification units distributed clean drinking water initiated garbage collection projects and provided psychosocial support for displaced children with special emphasis on children with disabilities; $4321 to Palestine Childrens Relief Fund which provides free medical care to injured and ill children who lack access to care within their local health care systems and out of urgent moral necessity has expanded its mission beyond medical relief in Gaza to support emergency food delivery clean water access hygiene support nutritional assistance the establishment of field hospitals and kitchens etc.

Grants to provide Eid gifts of food and clothing in Gaza: Due to horrific conditions in Gaza in 2024 with growing numbers of internally displaced families and rapidly escalating food prices RCF funds that in previous years supported the Rachel Corrie Ramadan Football Tournament were diverted for urgent food aid for families of tournament personnel suffering and desperately searching for ways to feed their families. Food parcels containing 25 items each including beans lentils cheese beef cooking oil and more were distributed to 25 grateful families. The project was carried out on-the -ground by the Womens Program Center-Rafah RCFs partner organization in Rafah Gaza. Names of all aid recipients were checked against the U.S. Treasury Departments Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list SDN List.

The Evergreen State College Scholarship Grant: RCF awarded the annual Rachel Corrie Memorial Scholarship to a student at The Evergreen State College for study of peace with justice and pursuit of human rights and social justice through community activism scholarly analysis and political advocacy.