Oxfam is honored to announce today that we have received a grant from the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals, established by the Raskin family in honor of their son Tommy Raskin. The funds will provide critical support for Oxfam’s relief efforts in Yemen, the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
In the words of his parents Congressman Jamie Raskin and Sarah Bloom Raskin, “Tommy Raskin had a perfect heart, a perfect soul, a riotously outrageous and relentless sense of humor, and a dazzling radiant mind.”
“When we learned of Tommy Raskin’s passing, we were heartbroken. But we know his generosity of spirit and unshakable commitment to pursuing truth and justice will never end,” said Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America. “Oxfam is deeply honored to be the recipient of a grant from the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals for our work, together with partners, responding to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in Yemen. We thank you, Tommy, for shining your light on the injustice of poverty and inequality,” Maxman added.
After more than six years of war, Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Four out of every five people need some kind of humanitarian assistance, and almost four million people have been displaced by the fighting. Widespread destruction of the country’s health services, and water infrastructure have left Yemen acutely vulnerable to the Coronavirus.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen, Oxfam is distributing hygiene kits for the most vulnerable households, and trucking in clean water to camps for people who have had to flee their homes. We have also given cash for food to families affected by flooding. Across Yemen, we’re training community health volunteers to spread the word about the Coronavirus and the importance of hygiene and hand washing. Oxfam is helping the healthcare system in Yemen by providing equipment including sanitizer, cleaning materials, gloves and buckets, and mobile services for rural areas equipped with toilets, beds, and oxygen tanks. Oxfam is also working with local organizations to respond to the growing crisis in Marib, Yemen, where recent fighting has displaced communities once again. And we continue to press for a political settlement to the conflict through our advocacy in the US and around the world.
For more information on the Tommy Raskin Memorial Fund for People and Animals, please visit: https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-family-announces-memorial-fund-tommy-raskin
Oxfam is a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty. We help people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, and save lives in disasters. Our mission is to tackle the root causes of poverty and create lasting solutions.