Hello, everyone! I hope y’all are doing well. As much as I love to talk about Brazil, its food, and culture, as well as cooking techniques, I am here today on a much more honorable mission: to lend my voice to an important cause! I am talking about aid to Christians and other religious and ethnic groups being persecuted in Syria and Iraq.
I am here to ask for your generous donation — pretty much any amount that you feel comfortable giving. We created a fund, GIVE SHELTER TO SYRIA, associated with an organization, ShelterBox, that provides shelter to refugees from Syria and Iraq. Contributions are tax deductible. You can find more information about this organization HERE.
All proceeds go directly to ShelterBox for helping the refugees! This organization received four out of four stars from Charity Navigator. This is one of the reasons that I chose to create a fund with them.
You can DONATE by credit card or Paypal here: GIVE SHELTER TO SYRIA .
As you probably know by now, thousands upon thousands, including women and children, have been killed, beheaded, crucified, buried alive, raped, tortured, and enslaved by ISIS and other similar radical Islamist groups, and others are fleeing the civil war in Syria. They need shelter, food, water, blankets for the harsh weather, and many other basic needs… Many things that we have but take for granted are immediately needed to help the refugees, who have just barely escaped death!
I firmly believe that “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)
This is the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era… That is why I urge you to help those in desperate need. No matter whether you are a person of faith or no faith at all, you can do good— you can help some human beings in need, who have either been touched by civil war or are victims of persecution simply for not sharing the same beliefs as ISIS. We all have a common enemy that won’t hesitate to wipe anyone from the face of the earth that stands in its way. This could happen to anyone. Just because you may live far away from where these atrocities are happening doesn’t mean that this should not concern you. Actually it should concern us all! If you have any doubt, please see for yourself some shocking images.
But I don’t want this to just stop here. I would like to invite other bloggers and their audiences to join with me in being part of the solution: 1) by making a financial donation; 2) by writing a blog post and/or sharing this one in social media (tag ShelterBox USA); 3) by asking other bloggers to join this cause and spread the word.
You can make a positive difference in someone’s life. Please, DONATE today! This is one of the best ways to say to others that their lives matter. May you be immensely blessed or rewarded for your kind gesture. From the bottom of my heart…
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Credits:
*First photo from ShelterBox.
*Heart adapted from Flory Brown under CC attribution license.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
March 9, 2015 at 3:31 pmYour post rocked me to my core Denise! We spend our blogging time creating and savoring wonderful food and often forget many are without such luxuries. Thank you for the introduction to this worthy cause.
Denise Browning
March 9, 2015 at 4:03 pmThank you, Deb!
Yes, there are many people in the world suffering and needing our help. There are so many things that we have yet take for granted while they lack the most basic things.
If you can help them somehow, I’d be very grateful! Have a great week!!!
Lily Lau
March 9, 2015 at 4:18 pmThat’s it, Denise! I wish I could help by volunteering, I never trusted whose hands my donations would end up in…
Denise Browning
March 9, 2015 at 4:27 pmHi, Lily!
I have searched many organizations before deciding for this one — which earned four out of four stars for their work and financial aid to refugees. You can check 2 of the links in the article: One talks about this organization work and the other grade their work (charity navigator). So yes, I trust this organization. If you have one that you trust, you can donate to it. The most important thing is these people get the help they need. Have a great week!
Coffee and Crumpets
March 9, 2015 at 11:49 pmA noble cause Denise. I just want to say though, I see you wrote “Islamist groups”, these people DO NOT represent Islam, They are monsters pure and simple and they have no idea of religion only the warped religion they’ve made up. It upsets me when even the news keeps pushing them as islamic groups….in the media, of course they are stirring up trouble and they are responsible for all the anti Muslim hate these days. I don’t want anyone to think that Muslims like myself follow what these monsters follow. My faith, my Islam is one that teaches peace, tolerance and love, especially to non Muslims.
I have donated many times since this conflict started, even before these groups were a part of it. Iraqis have been suffering since the war and Syria since their revolution. I donate though a British charity, Islamic Relief that do awesome work in all these suffering countries.
Thank you for highlighting the suffering of the Syrians and Iraqis. I have many friends whose families have been displaced because of these atrocities.
Denise Browning
March 10, 2015 at 5:44 amNazneen:
If you read again, you will see that a wrote “radical Islamic groups”, and radical is underlined to highlight the difference between radical and moderate. I used the term Islamic because they identify themselves as so.
I myself know the difference because I have friends (you are one of them) that are Muslims and don’t agree with ISIS and its atrocities. I had no intention to offend you or any other Muslim but the fact is that ISIS identify itself as being Muslim — although I am pretty sure that ISIS members are not people of faith because of their actions.
And of course, I know as many know that Muslims are not monsters, they don’t agree with ISIS actions.
I am glad to know you have helped those in need. Have a good week, Nazneen!
Dedy@Dentist Chef
March 10, 2015 at 11:41 amThankf for this post….
i have a friend work as a voluntery dentist there too….
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
March 10, 2015 at 2:43 pmSuch a moving post Denise!
Amira
March 10, 2015 at 6:25 pmLovely post Denise. I agree with you and Nazneen, this group does not have faith at all !! they are after power and money and only motivated by greed. They want to wipe off any and everyone out of the face of this world who does not agree with them.. what makes me more sad is that they pollute the young and pure minds of many boys and girls with their vicious ideas.
Sugar et al.
March 11, 2015 at 12:29 amYou’ve taken up a very noble cause Denise! Proud of you:-)
marcela
March 11, 2015 at 5:37 amThanks a lot for sharing, Denise! It’s such a lovely post! I’ll try my best to help as well!
Denise Browning
March 11, 2015 at 7:40 amThanks a lot, Marcela! Any help that you can provide, it will support people in need, in extreme hardship. May you be rewarded for it!
John@Kitchen Riffs
March 11, 2015 at 1:28 pmPoor Syria — the people there are suffering so. Good cause, great post. Thank you.
Daniela
March 11, 2015 at 4:16 pmYour post really touched me Denise.
We have travelled to Syria before this horrendous civil war broke out and remember so many kind and hospitable people from different religious backgrounds all over the country.
When in Vienna we support a relief organization were we personally know the people behind it, unfortunately it’s just a drop in the ocean but many drops can make an ocean.
Great post.
Juliana
March 11, 2015 at 10:37 pmNice and touching post Denise…it is all very sad…it is sure a great cause Denise.
Have a nice week my dear 🙂
Gourmet Getaways
March 16, 2015 at 7:44 amGreat post for a great cause. Completely agree – with or without faith, compassion is at the core of every being.
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Ash-foodfashionparty
March 16, 2015 at 1:32 pmDenise, it’s a very noble cause you are writing about. Glad you raised it. Coming from a country where woman are not treated equally has bothered me a lot and I do work with battered woman. It’s something that as a human being, we have to give back to the society. WE constantly pray that the world becomes a better place to live. If we could all do something nice, we should do.
You have a great week my dear.
Raymund
March 16, 2015 at 1:53 pmDenise this is so nice of you, what a great post
Anna @ shenANNAgans
March 23, 2015 at 5:30 amThis is an awesome organisation, and you are awesome for reminding us to keep it real and consider those less fortunate than ourselves. I am a part of a food rescue program in my town that delivers left over foods to homeless shelters and safe houses for woman and children who are dealing with domestic violence situations. I know it isn’t as huge as what you are talking about, but every little bit helps, I also like that I am helping people in my community. I will do my best to donate as you have asked, every little bit helps right. Wishing you a beautiful day and a great week ahead.
Cheers from Australia.
Denise Browning
March 23, 2015 at 7:38 amHi, Anna!
Thanks a lot for your generosity. Every little bit helps them for sure. May you be rewarded for all the good that you do to people both in your community and also to this cause.
Wishing you a wonderful week!!!
Kate
March 26, 2015 at 7:32 amThank you so much for lending your voice to such a devastating tragedy. What people do to each other in the name of faith is insane. You are calling attention to such an important cause.
Denise Browning
March 26, 2015 at 7:36 amKate:
Thank you! I wish people pay attention to the suffering of these people, human beings who deserve help and respect.
Thanks for stopping by. If you can donate an amount that you are comfortable with to help them, I’d be very grateful!
Have a great day!!!