FAQ

Wherever we can, we respond to emergencies around the world, providing immediate and life-saving aid to those in the most desperate situations. We can do this quickly and effectively because we have many teams already on the ground, international field offices and a network of delivery partners.

For all our emergency response appeals we focus on getting life-saving, vital aid to those in the most desperate circumstances. We work with our teams and delivery partners to make sure we get appropriate aid to the right places as soon as possible. The aid we provide usually covers the necessities of an emergency response phase – food, clean water, shelter, warm clothing and medical care – which are often life-saving.

Usually when there is an emergency, it would usually only affect a specific region however the global coronavirus emergency is something that can affect every single person on the planet.

Already, we are seeing the devastating affect the virus is having on developed countries such as the UK, Italy and the USA. In countries where there are particularly vulnerable communities such as internally displaced people, refugees, the elderly and the sick, there will be massive risks. Also, actions such as self isolation, social distancing and lock downs will have a big impact on communities around the world, in the same way it will have effects in the UK.

Our partner in Syria has been working in the area since 2011 and have been responding to the crisis by providing Medical care, Food aid, Shelter, Education and training. They have a field operation office close to the area where people are moving to away from the conflict.

Similarly in Palestine, we are working with one of the biggest local NGOs in the region who were set up in 1983 and have worked in healthcare, education, orphan care and youth empowerment since.

Although we cannot yet provide details of these partners in order to ensure the safety of the aid workers, we only work with partners who we are certain can provide the aid needed with the priority placed on the safety and security of the recipients.

We are working in camps and hospitals near the Turkish Syria border, and we are prioritising working across camps in Gaza as a priority in Palestine.

Penny Appeal have prioritised working in Syria and Palestine, because these areas are already in crisis, meaning the area will be more vulnerable than other communities. These areas are already crippled due to conflict and blockades, and the virus could cause a catastrophic damage to vulnerable people in these areas.

We are also reaching out to our local partners in other areas and will plan to respond globally on this issue – more details will be shared once we have more information. Our focus and priority will be “Crisis within Crisis” communities.

We appreciate our donors care where their donation is being used. However, due to the nature of emergency campaigns, there is no definite timeframe for this. There is currently no internet access within the regions we are providing aid in, and electricity is limited. So, the communications are very delayed. We are placing priority on getting aid provisions distributed quickly and efficiently first and foremost, and we will be providing feedback as soon as we possibly can.

This will depend on the situation and there is no definite timeframe. There is an urgent need for aid when an emergency first happens, and this period is usually about providing life-saving aid to help people with their immediate needs. Following this, ongoing aid is required to help people rebuild their lives. We respond rapidly in each situation and aim to provide aid for as long as possible.

Yes, small payments made regularly can make a big difference – that's the Penny Appeal way.
 
You can set up an affordable monthly Direct Debit payments to our Emergency Response fund throughout the year. This allows us to be prepared well in advance, so that we can act quickly as soon as aid is needed in a crisis like this one.
 
Automatic, monthly payments are the most efficient way to support Penny Appeal as they reduce the cost of administration. Regular commitments allow us to plan ahead and ensure we have a reliable source of income to provide aid. 

That's absolutely fine, but please get in touch with us before cancelling your monthly payment, as it helps if you tell us first so that we can update our records and plan accordingly. We could also reduce the amount, so that you can still help us provide life-saving aid.

We only use secure systems with banking standard safety features to make sure that your payment and financial data cannot be compromised. All online payments are securely processed via KeyIVR Ltd, PayPal or SmartDebit and no financial data is retained on our servers.

It really helps us if you can Gift Aid your sponsorship or donation – it increases the value of your donation by 25%. If you are a UK taxpayer, selecting to 'Gift Aid' your donation (either by checking the box online or ticking the box on a paper donation form) will make it worth more to us at no extra cost to you!
 
In order for Penny Appeal to reclaim the tax you have paid on your donations, you must have paid income or capital gains tax (in the UK) equal to the tax that will be claimed by all the charities that you donate to (currently 25p for every £1 you give) in the same tax year. 

The tax reclaimed will be used to help fund the administration costs of the charity so more of your actual donation can go directly to those in need. 

Gift Aid can be added to your donation if you are donating your own money. We regret that Gift Aid cannot be reclaimed if you are paying donations you collected from others, even if everyone was a UK taxpayer. Neither can it be reclaimed on donations made by companies. Other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. Gift Aid can not be claimed on payments for any ticketed events.

Please notify us if you are no longer eligible, wish to cancel this declaration, change your name or home address or if you no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and / or capital gains. 

By ticking the box you agree that you are eligible to claim Gift Aid as explained above and that we can treat this donation, any donations made in the last 4 years and future donations as Gift Aid and that  you understand that if you pay less Income Tax and / or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year it is your responsibility to pay any difference.