At a time when the world faces many challenges and rhetoric of hate and division has found itself center stage; Choose Love / Help Refugees is pioneering a new movement in charity with the belief that sharing this simple message has never been more vital.
With online stores and annual popup storefronts in NY, LA and London, Choose Love lets you buy gifts, services and practical items for refugees ranging from sleeping bags, diapers and washbags that help upon arrival to legal services for their future. Since 2017, over 1.5 million gifts and items bought from the stores have been directly distributed to people in refugee camps around the world!
The concept for the store was born from the hashtag #helprefugees, set up by a group of friends in response to harrowing images online of refugee families arriving on European shores. Within a week, the hashtag had helped send thousands of donations and items to those arriving at camps set up on the border.
Each of their projects is powered by ordinary people who are stepping up where governments fail to provide even the most basic support. Choose Love / Help Refugees not only gathers these gifts but volunteers also distribute items like tents and food, assist in keeping rescue boats afloat, and provide emotional support to refugees.
We all have a choice. To build walls and turn our backs to the world or to nurture the hopeful, to recognize our common future and to choose love. The world can sometimes feel broken, but everywhere these cracks are letting in light.
So join us as we join them. Spread this message. And next time you need to get a gift for someone, think about shopping from their store – the first in the world that sells products for refugees. Make a difference & change a life!
