We change the lives of people living in extreme, often life threatening situations. Primarily, we do this through partnerships with community-based organizations, helping them reach out to their neighbors.

FAQ

What do you mean by “extreme situations”?
We target the poorest of the poor, people in extreme physical, emotional or spiritual poverty. This may also include those who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, widows, homeless, uneducated or under educated, misplaced persons etc.

How do you change their lives?
Many of the situations we enter are so extreme that we need to begin with the basics, nutrition, shelter, health and hygiene. As the situation permits we also help with education and education reinforcement for children and adults. Counseling, vocational and life skills training are also taught.

What are “community-based organizations”, and what do you mean by “partnership”?
A community-based organization may be a local foundation, community group, church or school. These organizations are made up of people from the community, they usually have a ready set of volunteers, and they have a formal accountability system in place. Since they are in the community, the community helps keep them accountable too.

When we say partnership we mean that each partner contributes to the effectiveness of the other. Extreme Response, at the request of the community-based partner helps seek funding to help the partner meet their goals. We also allow our partners to receive donations through us in the countries where we are incorporated. We hold the partner accountable for how donated funds are spent. We provide ongoing encouragement, and development for the organization’s top leaders. We also send volunteers and volunteer teams to help our partners as requested.

The community-based partner helps ER be more effective by keeping our staff informed regarding the changing situation and needs of the poor around the world. They give our volunteer workers the opportunity to serve the poor through hands on involvement. They educate our volunteer workers regarding the true needs of the poor and the most effective ways “outsiders” can reach out to them. Partners increase the effectiveness of ER as they enable us to meet our goal of “changing the lives of people living in extreme situations”.

In what other ways do you help people?
We respond to disasters and other relief situations at the request of our partners. We also help with special project requests, presented to us by our partners and others as we can.

Also ER operates a program in the city dump in Quito Ecuador. We provide child care and preschool education for the children of dump workers; we provide basic medical care through our day clinic and help with major medical needs through our Medical Relief Fund. Life skills and other training are also provided.