What’s the Difference between a Nonprofit Organization and an NGO?
Both exist to do good work, but nonprofits generally operate on a smaller scale and are sometimes affiliated with churches, youth clubs, trade unions and alumni associations. “Nonprofit” means that none of an organization’s income goes toward paying staff members, directors, or stakeholders. Any extra funds support the agency’s purpose. Most commonly designated as Section 501(c) (3) organizations, nonprofits support a huge range of religious, artistic, charitable, educational and scientific causes.
A non-governmental organization (NGO), as its name suggests, exists independently from government oversight, though it may receive government funding. Their missions tend to be broader in scope and more global, supporting health initiatives and crises, education, economics, infrastructure, women and children’s rights and social problems around the world. They often operate in the midst of famine and natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis. NGOs are sometimes referred to as civil society organizations.
PCRF is the main NGO in the world sponsoring teams of volunteer doctors and nurses from all over the world to give their time and expertise in treating sick and injured children in Palestine and Lebanon's refugee camps. Our goal is to find and treat every child in the Middle East in need of specialized surgery not available to them locally. Our medical missions run the gamut, from adult and pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric cardiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, maxillofacial surgery, pediatric urology, ophthalmology, vascular surgery, pediatric orthopedic surgery, occupational therapy, and other specialties.If you’d like to contribute to an effective, non-political, non-religious nonprofit, please consider a donation to help support our efforts.
ABOUT THE PALESTINE CHILDREN’S RELIEF FUND
The Palestine Children's Relief Fund was established in 1992 by concerned humanitarians in the USA to bring injured and sick children for free medical care they could not get locally. Since then, we have sent over 2,00 sick and injured children for free medical care, as well as sponsored hundreds of volunteer medical teams from all over the world to treat tens of thousands of sick and injured youths in local hospitals. PCRF also has built two pediatric cancer departments in Palestine and has several more major programs and projects taking place to help support the development of a sustainable health-care system there.