The Palestine Children's Relief Fund (P.C.R.F.) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-governmental organization established in 1991, by, according to its website, "concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East... The main objective of the P.C.R.F. is to locate in the U.S. free medical care for children who cannot be adequately treated in the Middle East. The P.C.R.F. is the main organization regularly sending injured and sick Arab children to the U.S. and Europe for free care that is not available to them there. Since 1991 over 1,000 children have been or currently are being treated outside of the Middle East through the P.C.R.F."
Contents
Humanitarian activities
The Palestine Children's Relief Fund sends medical equipment, supplies, and American medical personnel to the region to treat difficult cases and train Palestinian surgeons. Several injured or sick children are being treated in the U.S. for free. Palestine Children's Relief Fund relies on volunteers throughout the U.S. who act as host families and donors. The organization also helps suffering children from other Middle Eastern nations, based on medical need.
The PCRF, along with the British Arts Council, co-produced the 2006 22-minute documentary Open Heart by Claire Fowler about healthcare in the Palestinian areas. It has subsequently been shown at film festivals around the world.
Praise
As of September 2009 the PCRF has received the 4-stars* by Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities' fiscal management. It has received support and endorsements from Senator Paul Sarbanes, Congressman Albert Wynn and actor/humanitarian Richard Gere.
In October 2006, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter issued a video endorsement of the organization.
Criticism
The PCRF has been criticized in the past due to its financial affiliation with the Holy Land Foundation, which was shut down by the United States government because it was suspected of funneling donations to terrorist organizations. The PCRF's connection to the Foundation has since harmed its reputation. The Holy Land Foundation asked that the United States Treasury Department allow a transfer of $50,000 from its accounts to the PCRF.