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Palestine Children's Relief Fund

Abbreviation	PCRF
Formation	1991; 33 years ago (1991)
Type	Nonprofit organization (IRS exemption status): 501(c)(3)
Area served	Middle East
Key people	Steve Sosebee (founder and president) Khaled Abughazaleh, BDS, DMD (chairman) Ashraf Abu-Issa (vice chairman)
Website	www.pcrf.net

The Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-governmental organization established in 1991, by, according to its website, "concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East." The main objective of the PCRF is to locate in the United States and Europe free medical care for children who cannot be adequately treated in the Middle East. Since 1991, tens of thousands of young people have received medical treatment through the PCRF.

The PCRF was founded by Steve Sosebee, who served as the organization's President for 30 years.

Humanitarian activities

The Palestine Children's Relief Fund sends medical equipment, supplies, and American medical personnel to the region to treat difficult cases and train Palestinian surgeons. Several injured or sick children are being treated in the U.S. for free. The PCRF relies on volunteers throughout the U.S. who act as host families and donors. The organization also helps suffering children from other Middle Eastern nations, based on medical need. The PCRF has built two pediatric cancer departments in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In addition to physical medical care, the PCRF operates a mental health program in Gaza.

History

1991: Establishment

The Palestine Children's Relief Fund was established in 1991. It was founded by Steve Sosebee, a former journalist who, while on assignment in Hebron, brought Palestinian children in need to Akron, Ohio, to receive free medical care. Sosebee later met Huda al Masry, a Palestinian social worker with the YMCA in Jerusalem. Sosebee and al Masry married in 1993, and had two daughters.

2004–2007: Attempted donation by the Holy Land Foundation, and Open Heart

In 2004, the Holy Land Foundation—a group which was shut down by the United States government because it was suspected of funneling donations to terrorist organizations—attempted to make a donation of $50,000 to the PCRF. Steve Sosebee, president of the PCRF, said at the time that if the PCRF received the donation, the money would be used to fund its relief services. That same year, NBC televised the fictional film Homeland Security featuring a scene in which the PCRF is referred to as a terrorist organization and "a front for Islamic Jihad". As a result, Sosebee received numerous phone calls and e-mails asking about how the PCRF uses its funds.

In 2006, the PCRF, in cooperation with the British Arts Council, produced the 22-minute documentary film Open Heart. Directed by Claire Fowler, the film is about a nine-month-old boy named Jamal with congenital heart disease, and the efforts by his family, a British surgeon, and the PCRF to provide him treatment.

2009–2020: Pediatric cancer units

In 2009, al Masry died of cancer, and Sosebee moved to Palestine with his daughters. There, the PCRF built the first public pediatric cancer department in Bethlehem, and named it after al Masry. In 2016, Sosebee married pediatric oncologist Dr. Zeena Salman. In February 2019, the PCRF built a second cancer department, this time in the Gaza Strip.

2021–present: Ongoing work

During the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, online streamers and other online content creators on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube held fundraisers in support of the PCRF, most notably Vaush, who raised $292,284.71. On 17 May 2021, Israeli airstrikes damaged PCRF offices in Gaza City. In November 2023, the al-Rantisi hospital in Gaza City, which is run by the PCRF, was struck by an Israeli airstrike, killing eight people and damaging the building.

On November 16, 2023, PCRF awarded America Near East Refugee Aid, in partnership with World Central Kitchen, a $1.5 million grant to provide hot meals for distribution to displaced individuals in Gaza during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.

Founder Steve Sosebee departed the organization on December 31, 2023, after serving 30 years, to pursue other humanitarian efforts in Palestine.

Reception

As of November 2023, PCRF has held a four-star charity rating since September 2012 from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities' fiscal management. The organization has received support and endorsements from U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, former U.S. Congressman Albert Wynn, and actor and humanitarian Richard Gere.

In October 2006, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter issued a video endorsement of the organization.

See also

• Islamic Medical Association of North America

Footnotes

1. equivalent to $80,655 in 2023
2. equivalent to $328,645 in 2023

References

1. "Khaled Abughazaleh, BDS, DMD – The PCRF". PCRF.net. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
2. "Ashraf Abu-Issa – The PCRF". PCRF.net. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
3. ^ PCRF: Who We Are Archived 6 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 13 April 2006)
4. ^ "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has strained medical services and left families reeling. Here are six organizations you can support to help victims". CNN. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
5. ^ "Steve Sosebee". PCRF.net. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
6. ^ Fund, The Palestine Children's Relief. "PCRF Announces Departure of Founding President After 30 Years". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-06-03.
7. Elbedour, Salman; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.; Ghannam, Jess; Whitcome, Janine A.; Hein, Fadel Abu (2007-07-01). "Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among Gaza Strip adolescents in the wake of the second Uprising (Intifada)". Child Abuse & Neglect. 31 (7): 719–729. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.09.006. ISSN 0145-2134. PMID 17631959. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
8. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
9. ^ Strom, Stephanie (2004-04-15). "Charity Seeks To Transfer Money Frozen By Treasury". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
10. "British Council Film: Open Heart". British Council. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
11. Akram, Fares (2019-02-19). "US charity opens cancer ward for children in Gaza". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
12. @VaushV (May 18, 2021). "After nearly 27 hours of uninterrupted livestreaming, we managed to raise an unbelievable $292,284.71 for Palestine Children's Relief Fund. I had the pleasure of speaking to the charity's founder, @Stevesosebee, and I could not be more confident in the value of his work" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
13. Grayson, Nathan (18 May 2021). "As Gaza Burns, Twitch Charity Streams For Palestine Remain Few And Far Between". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
14. Farzan, Antonia Noori (19 May 2021). "Humanitarian groups providing aid in Gaza face steep barriers". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
15. Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (2023-11-06). "Gaza death toll tops 10,000; UN calls it a children's graveyard". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
16. McDougall, A. J. (2023-11-07). "Airstrike Decimates U.S.-Funded Children's Hospital in Gaza". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
17. Abu Riash, Abdelhakim (7 November 2023). "Israel targets Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza City". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
18. "PCRF joins Anera and WCK to Partner on Gaza Crisis Response". Anera. Archived from the original on 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
19. "Palestine Children's Relief Fund". Charity Navigator. Archived from the original on 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
20. Commendation letter by Senator Paul Sarbanes dated 23 May 2003 Archived 12 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
21. ^ "Message from Richard Gere To the Palestine Children's Relief Fund". Palestine Children's Relief Fund. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
22. Schwartz, Susan (9 November 2006). "The Palestinian Children's Relief Fund Gala". The Muslim Observer. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
23. Jimmy Carter's endorsement Archived 10 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Official website
• PCRF's Financial Value Report
• SF Chronicle piece on the impact sanctions have for U.S. physicians who provide medical treatment through PCRF
• Charity Navigator page for Palestine Children's Relief Fund

• Health charities in the United States
• Foreign charities operating in the State of Palestine
• Organizations for children with health issues
• Health in the State of Palestine
• Non-governmental organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
• Medical and health organizations based in Ohio
• 1991 establishments in the United States
• Organizations established in 1991
• Children's charities based in the United States