My name is Angelo Kaplan and I'm working with Sway and the wonderful team at Forest & Flour to host a fundraiser to benefit the people of Gaza. Over the past two years I have seen the devastating destruction, death, displacement, and starvation unleashed upon the Palestinian people by Israel and I feel compelled to help in any way I can. Sway and I are raising money for four beneficiaries who are supporting the Palestinian people as they survive this genocide.

The first beneficiary, Nadim Qudaih, is a 17-year-old student in Gaza. Nadim is the driving force behind this fundraiser. He reached out to me on Instagram about a year ago, and we've been chatting on a regular basis about his refugee camp, his family, and his goals and aspirations. He inspired me to organize this dinner and, in fact, coordinated some of it himself.

Nadim's family was displaced early in the war when a bomb destroyed their home in Khan Younis. One of his brothers was injured and evacuated to Egypt, along with his mother and two other brothers. Now, Nadim has been displaced a total of eight times - to Ma'an, then Rafah, and finally a refugee camp in Al-Mawasi, near the sea. He lives in the camp with his father, a medical radiologist, and nearby extended family.

Nadim attends his high school classes in a tent, but in some ways he's a just a regular teenager. He wants to study biology and computer science in a university. When I told him that I work in medical research, he asked me excitedly about applying AI to scientific questions. He sent me research proposals that he wrote, about genetic engineering techniques to treat trisomy disorders and novel cancer treatments.

One reason we're supporting Nadim — amongst so many people in need — is his own industriousness. He created a website to sell t-shirts, coordinated a benefit concert in Utah, and coffee sales in New York — all to fundraise for his community. Eleanor, his friend in New York, said that the donations he receives are spent on food not just for him and his family, but also for the children in his camp. "He's very generous," she said.

“One of my favorite things about Nadi is that he shares a smile every day from Gaza," Eleanor added. "Sometimes on his Instagram story, but often in direct messages. It is such a powerful act of resistance, sharing his undying joy and kindness for all of humanity to see amidst the ongoing inhumanity and evil being inflicted upon him and his people."

Funds raised for Nadim will help him rebuild life for his family, help his community, and pursue his dreams of higher education and a career in science that will benefit humanity.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nadim-in-rebuilding-his-home-and-life

Our second beneficiary is Gaza Soup Kitchen. They have been doing remarkable work running multiple large-scale kitchens serving the public in an orderly, dignified way. They are also distributing food packages for people who may not be able to reach the Soup Kitchen. The organizer, Hani Almadhoun, is an amazing person and can be seen giving interviews at all the major news outlets. He has a lifetime of service experience helping Palestinians in Gaza, including all his family currently living there. Also, we must honor the memory of Chef Mahmoud who worked tirelessly in the Soup Kitchen until being martyred. The Gaza Soup Kitchen is able to keep running fueled by donations to purchase food from commercial trucks and local farms within Gaza — a key player in fighting the famine that Israel has inflicted.

https://gazasoupkitchen.com/

Third, we're supporting Thamra. Food security is a major problem since all border crossings have been blocked. Israel has complete control over aid getting to the region, so organizations restoring destroyed farm land are critical. Thamra has multiple nurseries to cultivate seedlings and then spread them throughout the community and to local small farms, promoting urban gardening. They also work to drill new wells for irrigation and water distribution. Unfortunately, one of the co-founders, Yousef Abu Rabea, was martyred, but the other co-founder, Leena Almadhoun, is still working hard with her team to carry on the mission of food and water sovereignty.

https://www.thamra.org/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-thamra-cultivating-resilience-in-gaza

Last but not least, we're supporting the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) for the excellent work they do reaching children in Gaza and throughout Palestine, to deliver much needed medical care, medicines, and nutrition. They have a strong track record of being able to get aid into Gaza and finding people in need.

https://www.pcrf.net/

“This world, which seems big, is actually small, and the good you do will come back to you someday.”

— Nadim Qudaih

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Feed Gaza // Feed Humanity

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