Shelterbox Announces Historic Year, More than 400K Served

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SANTA BARBARA – ShelterBox announced today that it served more than 400,000 people across a dozen countries in 2022, a historic level of humanitarian aid for the global disaster relief organization.

The aid, which went to over 80,000 families, was delivered in multiple responses to the war in Ukraine, devastating drought in Eastern Africa, and catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. Prepositioning aid around the world enabled ShelterBox to provide the most-needed combination of shelter and life-saving household items, such as tents, tarpaulins, tool kits, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking sets, water carriers and filters, as well as cash when needed.

Each aid package was developed working with affected communities to understand what they needed most.

“Last year was a truly historic year for ShelterBox,” said Kerri Murray, president of ShelterBox USA, which is based in Santa Barbara. “We responded to devastating natural disasters and were able to scale up our operations to meet unprecedented needs. But 2022 also showed that the global displacement has reached historic levels. More than 100 million people have now been forced from their homes by climate-driven disasters and conflicts. The need for emergency shelter is constant and increasing, and we are working tirelessly to continue to expand our reach and help the most vulnerable.”

ShelterBox was founded in 2000 by a Rotary Club in Cornwall, England, seeking to provide shelter and other essential items after disasters. Today, it is the official project partner for disaster relief of Rotary International, and it has served more than 2.5 million people around the world since its founding.

In 2022, ShelterBox was among the first charities to on the ground when fighting broke out in Ukraine, forcing more than 12 million to flee their homes. It quickly established three programs. One shipped mattresses to collective centers like schools and churches. Another provided tool kits and materials to repair damaged homes so Ukrainians could shelter in place. The third provided hygiene kits and cash to refugees fleeing the country through Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest and most isolated countries.

ShelterBox has since stood up two more programs in Ukraine, helping thousands of Ukrainians survive a long cold winter.

The nonprofit continued its prolonged work in conflict zones, which earned it nominations for the Noble Peace Prize in 2018 and 2019. Last year, that included programs in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Syria. It launched a new program in Yemen, the culmination of years of preparation.

ShelterBox also deployed one of its largest responses to date in the Philippines after Typhoon Rai, locally known as Odette. Drawing from its local warehouses and team in the country, ShelterBox was among the first to respond to the devastating storm, providing tarps, tool kits, and corrugated iron across two provinces. ShelterBox helped about 100,000 people with the programs, with many beneficiaries reporting afterward that the materials were used to build a temporary shelter or repair an existing one.

For more information, please visit ShelterBoxUSA.org.