| Hi jay, Happy Holidays! This is the last update for 2012 of what’s been happening around the American Refugee Committee. Thank you so much for your support this year. We look forward to continuing to work as partners in 2013. Happy New Year! -Daniel Daniel Wordsworth, President
*********************************************** *A Sound Investment* The next few days are the busiest of the year for charitable giving. Supporters make donations to organizations that will act effectively and efficiently to help people in need. ARC has always been an excellent steward of your donations, stretching each dollar for the world’s most vulnerable people. But in 2012, we’ve been particularly acknowledged for our work. The Peter F. Drucker Institute recognized ARC with their 2012 Nonprofit Innovation Award in September. Charity Navigator issued ARC a second consecutive ‘4-Star’ rating, while CharityWatch again gave us top marks – an ‘A’ for the efficiency and effectiveness of our programs. If you’d like to make a donation, you can do so at: http://www.arcrelief.org/12match . Atomic Data will match your donation! And - if you're willing - let a friend know about ARC's work with refugees and that you support our efforts. *Congo Response* ARC continues to respond for families inside of Congo, where violence between rebel groups and the Congolese military has forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes since April. ARC’s relief team has been on the ground for several weeks helping civilians and learning more about the humanitarian situation. One of the team’s efforts has been to set up a ‘salle d’ecoute’ or listening post with our partner Heal Africa. Rape and violence against women have been widespread during the conflict in Congo. At the listening post, women can receive counseling from trained professionals. The counselors can also help survivors to access medical attention if they need it. Our team has also distributed much needed medical supplies and is working on long-term interventions to help and protect families who’ve been affected by the ongoing violence. *16 Days of Activism in Uganda* Our team in Uganda recently observed the “16 Days Campaign”—a global campaign organizing people around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women. In Kyangwali refugee settlement, ARC community activists led the effort to raise awareness with activities that included a community dialogue, dramatizations, a tug-of-war rally, cultural gala, and more. Partners made remarks about community participation to prevent and respond to violence—they focused on community silence and encouraged people to speak out in order to eliminate violence. A dance group performed the “Larakaraka” dance, encouraging people to work together to create peace in homes and families. And, information on the ARC emergency hotline to help survivors was distributed to event attendees. *Giving* At the request of readers, I always include these links so they’re easy to find when you need them. Thanks so much. Become a Monthly Donor: http://www.ARCrelief.org/givemonthly Donate Online: http://www.ARCrelief.org/donate Give Us a Call: (800) 875-7060 Send in a gift: American Refugee Committee
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