Giving Tuesday -- Shevet Achim

I'm not sure how long Giving Tuesday has been a thing (the conclusion to a long weekend of buying -- Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday) but I am 100 percent on board with it being a thing, and this year I'm going to put a word out there for one of my favorite non-profit, goodwill organizations that could use any year-end donations you're in the mood to give.

Shevet Achim is an organization in Israel that works to bring children from neighboring areas-- Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), Syria, Gaza and others -- to Israel to receive life-saving heart surgeries. Shevet Achim arranges everything necessary for travel, provides housing and care for the children and their caregivers while the children wait for surgery and during their post-hospital recovery period before going home, and pays the fees necessary to the hospitals and doctors they partner with. More than that, Shevet Achim provides community for children and families during a stressful time. The all-volunteer staff at Shevet Achim live out the love of God in a hands-on, practical way. The community at Shevet Achim is a piece of the Kingdom of God here on earth, and in their interactions with Kurds, Arabs, Christians, and Jews, the community of Shevet Achim are true peacemakers with no agenda but caring for the vulnerable and loving others.

So here's where financial partners come in: it takes funds to feed and house volunteers, children, and their caregivers. It takes funds to secure visas and travel arrangements. While the doctors and nurses who operate on and care for these children generously donate their time, hospital resources cost money. There are a couple of ways to donate: a general donation or a donation toward the care of a specific child. Why not get a few friends, family members, or coworkers together and pool your money to fund a child's heart surgery?

Jeremy, my Dad, and I spent a week as guests at Shevet Achim a few years ago, and I can say that the people there are the real deal. This is something you can feel good about donating to, now or any time of year. Bookmark the site if you're not in a place to give right now, but might be in the future. If you missed the link above, here it is again:

https://www.shevet.org/