Urgent fund for rainforest people's response to COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis touches everyone, no matter where you live or where you are.

One segment of the world's population facing an existential threat from the coronavirus are indigenous peoples. In the Amazon, where the virus is already affecting indigenous peoples, communities are also having to contend with the additional threat posed by the illegal miners, loggers, and coca-growers who are accelerating the destruction of the rainforest inside indigenous territories.

To protect themselves from COVID-19, indigenous peoples across the Amazon have chosen to confine themselves in their territories. Although this measure is vital to keeping the virus at bay, it is also creating hardship for communities that depend on contact with the outside world to purchase soap, food, fuel, and medicine.

Your donation today will provide direct and immediate support to indigenous organizations that are delivering aid and services to these communities.

For now, this campaign is supporting ORPIO (in Peru) and CIR (in Brazil), two partner organizations that have called for our support and that we know will carry out the urgent work needed. Neither ORPIO not CIR waited for national declarations or for their governments to take action. They saw the threat and immediately stepped up to the challenge. We expect to add more organizations as needs emerge.

• ORPIO, the Indigenous People’s Organization of the Eastern Amazon (Organización Regional de los Pueblos Indígenas del Oriente) is in urgent need of support to purchase fuel, food, and medicine for numerous indigenous communities. Additionally, ORPIO is seeking donations to assist indigenous peoples who have been stranded in towns and are unable to return to their communities due to the travel ban.
• CIR, (Conselho Indígena de Roraima or the Indigenous Council of Roraima), the main representative indigenous organization in the Northern Brazilian Amazon state of Roraima, is asking for support to purchase food, medical supplies, and fuel for isolated communities. They also need protective equipment for indigenous health workers and others actively protecting their territories from outsiders.

Indigenous communities, especially those living in isolated regions of the rainforest, are particularly vulnerable to outside diseases, which is why they need our help now more than ever.

Please note that 100% of your donations (exclusive of bank fees) will go towards supporting indigenous peoples through the trusted and reliable organizations that we know are able to provide much needed support to vulnerable communities in the Amazon.

Wherever you may live, we hope you stay well and that you keep practicing healthy and compassionate actions to keep those around you safe.

Other ways to give:

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• GIVE THROUGH YOUR DONOR ADVISED FUND
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• DONATE BY MAIL: Please make your check payable to “Rainforest Foundation US” and mail it to: 1000 Dean Street, Suite 430, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Our tax id number is: 95-1622945