John Garlasco's Fundraiser:

Tarek Husayni wrote -

Friends and Family,

This July, the Husayni’s are embarking on a new adventure—a 3-week long bike ride from Vancouver to San Francisco to raise money for UNICEF. Our goal is to bike at least 1,000 miles and raise at least $25,000 for the children of Syria. We have many friends and family who have been affected by the civil war in Syria and want to help in any way that we can. In return, we will share the tales of our adventure as it unfolds through messages, pictures and videos on this website.

Since the start of the war in 2011, there have been 11 million Syrians displaced by the conflict; that’s nearly one half of the country’s population. Every single one of these refugees was forced out of their homes and societies by the war and would love to return to their communities. This has put pressure not only on the surrounding countries to provide assistance to refugees, but its’ repercussions have been felt around the entire world, especially in western countries. Many times these refugee camps lack adequate humanitarian relief to support the growing number of refugees. There are an estimated 7 million Syrian children in need of humanitarian aid, and over 2 million children have dropped out of school due to the war.

UNICEF is a non-denominational, apolitical United Nations program with no allegiance to any country. It provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children and mothers in developing countries. A majority of UNICEF’s work is in the field, providing assistance in over 190 countries. UNICEF carries one of the highest ratings in efficiency of its philanthropic work. At least 94% of donations will reach those who need it. It aids the children of Syria by providing access to drinking water, vaccinations, education, psychological support, and winter supplies.

We hope by raising money and awareness through this bike ride, our donations will have a significant impact on the lives of Syrian refugees. Please consider donating to this cause that is near and dear to our hearts. We have attached some links if you would like to learn more about the situation in Syria.

http://childrenofsyria.info/ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/syria-civil-war-explained-160505084119966.html