Silent Auction for Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

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Rachel Lictchman

An artwork offered in a Madison-Rafah Sister City Project silent auction benefit for Middle East Children's Alliance.

media release: Summer Silent Auction for Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

Presented by Madison Rafah Sister City Project July 11-20  

Madison-Rafah Sister City Project (MRSCP) will present a Silent Online Auction for Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, with bidding open from July 11-20. All proceeds will go to Middle East Children’s Alliance for immediate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

The auction includes more than 100 donated items including gift certificates to Madison area restaurants, bookstores, massage providers, ice cream and more.  All items have been donated by Madison area residents and businesses, and include vacation get-aways, yoga lessons, homemade wine, original artwork, handmade crafts, Palestinian olive oil, soap, embroidery and solidarity items, Badger Basketball tickets, and many other items.  Prices start at $10, and everyone is welcome to bid in this community effort to send desperately needed humanitarian aid from Madison to Gaza.  Although bidding doesn’t open until July 11, the public can view the auction items online any time.

You’re invited to a public Artist Meet and Greet!

July 17, 4-6:30 pm at Java Cat Coffee!

The Summer Aid Auction includes many original works of art and the public is invited to view it and meet some of the artists at an Artists Meet & Greet, Thursday, July 17, 4-6:30 at Java Cat Coffee, 4221 Lien Road, on Madison’s east side. 

Can’t make it on the 17th?  The art will be up at Java Cat from July 11 until the Auction closes on July 20. 

Today, the people of Gaza are facing an unprecedented level of death, injury, disease, trauma and destruction of their ability to survive in their own land. Hunger in particular has become so severe that the large majority of the population is now facing starvation and famine.  

Madison-Rafah Sister City Project has had a relationship with the city of Rafah in Gaza for 22 years. Although Israel has now completely leveled physical Rafah, its people are dispersed throughout Gaza along with the rest of Gaza’s 2 million surviving inhabitants. MRSCP continues to partner with the Middle East Children’s Alliance to provide urgent aid to children & families throughout Gaza.

During these terrifying and difficult times, Middle East Children’s Alliance’s (MECA) team in Gaza is still working to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. After a temporary ceasefire, Israel is dropping bombs on hungry, sick, and traumatized children in Gaza. Children and families in Gaza are once again desperate for the most basic things like food, water, medicine, and shelter.

Incredibly, MECA’s team of staff and community partners have been getting food and water to tens of thousands of people every single day since the genocide.  As bombs are dropping on homes, tents, and shelters, Israel is still using starvation a weapon, along with the deprivation of water, medicine, and electricity.

Here’s what MECA is doing in Gaza:

Hot meals every day. MECA has opened a new solar-powered community kitchen in northern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of people returned since January. MECA’s four community kitchens in Gaza are cooking 13,000 hot meals every day.  In these difficult times they have been able to buy some meat, chicken, and fresh vegetables grown locally.

Water. MECA is  expanding distribution of safe, clean drinking water in the north and the south, with 14 trucks delivering clean drinking water and 13 solar-powered water purification units located in hospitals, shelters, and kitchens.  

Aid. MECA is continuing to package and distribute the small amounts of aid still in their warehouses which was brought in before Israel blocked incoming aid. This includes clothing, shoes, and food parcels.

Health. MECA is providing nutrition care for children, a basic health clinic, garbage removal by donkey cart, and latrines for tent encampments.  

Learn more about Madison’s fundraising campaign for Middle East Children’s Alliance at Tinyurl.com/madisontogaza and see their 100% Charity Navigator  rating.