Key Takeaways

• National Children's Day highlights the needs of vulnerable children worldwide.
• More than 56,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents.
• Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) provides food, healthcare, hygiene supplies, and emotional support to orphaned children.
• PCRF's orphan program has grown from 900 to more than 8,000 children.
• Sponsorship helps provide safety, stability, and care for children and their caregivers.

While National Children’s Day, commemorated on June 14 in the US, lasts only a single day, its message extends far beyond the calendar. It’s an opportunity to celebrate young people while also reflecting on the challenges facing vulnerable children around the world. Few groups are more vulnerable today than the thousands of children in Gaza who have lost one or both parents due to the ongoing crisis.

Orphaned Children in Gaza

According to UNICEF, more than 56,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents, and countless others are growing up amid displacement, hunger, and profound trauma. In Gaza, the ongoing humanitarian crisis continues to affect nearly every aspect of childhood, disrupting families, education, health, and emotional well-being.

National Children's Day can serve as a reminder that every child deserves safety, stability, education, and the chance to reach their full potential. It’s also an opportunity for individuals, schools, and faith communities to learn about the challenges facing orphaned children in Gaza and support reputable humanitarian organizations, such as the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), which offers relief, education, counseling, and long-term opportunities for affected youth.

One Orphan’s Story

Born on October 23, 2023, Salam entered the world as a humanitarian crisis was unfolding around her. Just days later, airstrikes destroyed her family's home, killing everyone inside. Rescuers pulled Salam from the rubble as the sole survivor.

Since then, her grandmother has stepped in to raise her, surrounding her with love, comfort, and stability amid unimaginable loss. Through PCRF and the generosity of supporters like you, Salam receives monthly assistance that helps provide nutritious food, healthcare, and other essentials every child needs to grow and thrive.

That ongoing support does more than meet immediate needs. It gives Salam’s grandmother the resources to care for her with greater confidence and security, while giving Salam the chance to experience a healthier, safer, and more hopeful future.

The Need is Urgent

Since 2014, PCRF's Orphan Sponsorship Program has provided long-term support to children in Gaza who have lost one or both parents and are growing up amid blockades and recurring humanitarian crises. For these vulnerable children, the program helps provide the stability, care, and essential resources they need to navigate childhood and build a brighter future.

The program operates through an Emergency Orphan Care fund, allowing PCRF to respond quickly to urgent needs, regardless of individual sponsorship. Monthly support from PCRF helps provide nutritious food, medical care, hygiene supplies, and psychosocial services to vulnerable children. A caseworker monitors each child’s well-being, and sponsors receive regular updates, including photos and progress reports.

The scale of need has risen dramatically. PCRF's Orphan Sponsorship Program in Gaza has grown from supporting 900 children to more than 8,000 orphaned children today, reflecting the devastating toll the ongoing crisis has taken on families and communities.

How to Sponsor a Child Through PCRF

A single act of compassion can change the course of a child's life, and sponsoring a child through PCRF is one of the most meaningful ways to provide stability, care, and hope to a child who has experienced unimaginable loss.

Getting started is simple:

• Visit PCRF's Orphan Sponsorship Program page.
• Complete the contact form to express your interest in sponsoring a child.
• Connect with a PCRF team member, who will answer your questions and guide you through the sponsorship process.
• Receive regular updates, including photos and progress reports, so that you can see the impact of your support.

How Your Support Creates Impact

Every sponsorship delivers more than financial assistance. It provides a lifeline that helps families meet urgent needs, creates greater stability for caregivers, and gives children the support they need to grow, learn, and look toward the future with hope. Here's how your support makes a difference:

• Families have food on the table, even during periods of famine.
• Children receive regular meals and avoid severe malnutrition.
• Caregivers can plan for the future rather than focus solely on surviving each day.
• Children remain protected, cared for, and supported.

Support PCRF to Help Vulnerable Children in Gaza

By keeping orphaned children in Gaza in our thoughts and actions on National Children's Day, we reaffirm a simple but powerful belief: every child, regardless of where they live, deserves hope, care, and the opportunity to build a brighter future.

Your donations help meet urgent humanitarian needs, providing vulnerable children in Gaza with the nutrition, healthcare, and stability they need to grow and thrive. PCRF has earned Charity Navigator's four-star rating for 12 consecutive years, a testament to its strong financial stewardship and commitment to accountability. The Orphan Sponsorship Program is also Zakat-eligible. Supporters can choose from monthly or annual sponsorship options, or participate in sponsorship packages that help provide care and support for four children at a time.