Donor will match gifts to Resilience Fund up to $250,000

Alongside Hope has launched a new Resilience Fund in response to the devastating cuts to international aid by the U.S. and other governments. The fund will provide support for many of our partners and programs that have lost funding from other sources.

One such partner is Church World Service, who supports people living at the Nyarugushu Refugee Camp in Tanzania. The fund will support 10 refugee families who had already left the camp to be resettled in the United States, but were turned back when the U.S. suspended its resettlement program. In addition to meeting the immediate needs of these families, the funds will provide psychosocial support for additional refugees who were planning for resettlement to the US, and whose dreams of a new life have now been shattered. Little Trinity Church in Toronto has already raised $12,000 towards this program.

Soon after Alongside Hope launched the Fund, an Alongside Hope donor shared some exciting news with Carolyn Cummins, Director of Fundraising and Supporter Relations. The donor has offered to anonymously match all donations made to the Resilience Fund by June 30, 2025, up to $250,000.

“I couldn’t believe the timing of the call,” says Cummins, who was about to introduce the fund at the House of Bishops at their meeting in Niagara. “It was very exciting to be able to tell them about our donor’s incredible generosity.”

While a quarter of a million dollars is a larger gift than most supporters can make, the donor was quick to point out that every gift is important, regardless of size. “If we all give what we can, Jesus multiples it like the loaves and fishes.”

A program is also underway with Village Health Works (VHW) in Burundi, a longtime partner of Alongside Hope. The USAID cuts resulted in a nearly $1 million shortfall in medication for HIV, tuberculous and malaria, including a $677,000 gap in treatments to prevent malnutrition in children. (VHW) is responding with an adaptive, locally driven solution to prevent a catastrophe, by launching DuhindukeNut, a locally run Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) production in Kigutu, Burundi. The supplement is a dense peanut butter-like product, made from peanuts, soy and dairy, and enriched with critical nutrients.

“Our goal is to build a community-owned, scalable production model that not only meets VHW’s internal demand but also creates jobs, supports local farmers, and lays the groundwork for national provision of RUTF,” VHW says in their submission to Alongside Hope.

“The name DuhindukeNut comes from the Kirundi word ‘Duhinduke,’ meaning ‘Let’s transform.’ It reflects our belief that solving malnutrition in Burundi requires a shift – from dependence on imported aid to locally owned, sustainable solutions. ‘Nut’ refers to the nutritional products at the heart of this initiative. The name captures both our purpose and our approach: transforming lives through food, community leadership and innovation.”

How you can help – PRAY, ACT, GIVE

Please continue to pray for the people around the world who are affected by the cuts to international aid.

As the federal election approaches, you may have an opportunity to ask candidates where they stand on international aid spending. Check out our letter builder and questions.

Until June 30, all donations to Alongside Hope will be matched, up to $250,000. Double your impact today and help our partners continue their life-changing programming. Give online or by phone at 1-866-308-7973. Or you can mail a cheque to Alongside Hope, 80 Hayden Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 3G2. Please indicate “Resilience Fund” in the memo field.