UNRWA USA

The Dallas Gaza 5K changed my life—let me explain.

In 2024, @sandrasaenz invited me and my husband to attend the Dallas Gaza 5k.

@zizonotzillow signed up to run, and we decided to make a family day of it.

I learned more about UNRWA USA and how their team has been organizing Gaza 5Ks across North America since for over a decade. Every dollar raised from every Gaza 5K sustains UNRWA’s mental health programming for children in Gaza. I wanted to be part of making a meaningful change so I signed myself and my family up, and told everyone I knew to come out with us.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw on the day of the event. Never in all of my years living in Dallas had I seen so many people show up for Palestine in one place. More than 4,000 people showed up that day. Together, we raised over $500,000 together to support Palestine refugees in Gaza. Through such a heavy time, through ongoing attacks on Palestinian communities in Gaza that continue to this day, I saw what was possible when we showed up together.

I followed UNRWA USA on social media after the event and later saw a job opening.
Two years later, I’m now UNRWA USA’s Development Manager, preparing for UNRWA USA’s Dallas Gaza 5K happening in my hometown again on May 16th.

Life has come full circle in an unexpected way. The choice I made in minutes to attend the Dallas Gaza 5K changed my life for years. The choices we make collectively right here in our own neighborhoods have potential to make lasting changes, from the DFW to Gaza.

Dallas, I hope you’ll show up strong again for Gaza this year. Don’t underestimate the power we have to make a difference when we come together.

Yalla, y’all! They say everything’s bigger in Texas, so let’s come out and show it’s done!
getinvolved.unrwausa.org/event/2026-dallas-gaza-5k…

1 day ago | [YT] | 4

UNRWA USA

Lebanon is burning - lives are being shattered, families are being torn apart, and hearts are breaking over and over again amid constant attacks.

More than 1 million people are displaced, with no real safe place to go. Over 136,000 people are living in temporary shelters, while thousands more are moving around desperately in search of safety.

In response, UNRWA staff in Lebanon are working around the clock to serve communities through an ongoing emergency. They are running shelters, delivering care, and supporting families with food assistance as the needs grow by the hour.

Despite attacks on healthcare facilities, 13 out of 26 UNRWA health clinics remain operational, with teams working tirelessly to keep care within reach.

Many UNRWA staff are displaced, their families are in danger, yet they continue to show up.

UNRWA isn’t just an institution. It’s people who show up every day for their communities and who insist on life and dignity even when death and destruction surround them.

Bear witness to this. All eyes on Lebanon.

1 week ago | [YT] | 6

UNRWA USA

Even in the hardest moments, children in Gaza are still finding ways to smile.

UNRWA mental healthcare staff member @jaber.thabet shared this beautiful moment from Gaza this past week, showing your donations through UNRWA USA in action.

In a makeshift space with a few instruments, children gather—clapping, finding small pockets of joy, and making music together. Even now, even after living through over two years of what experts know to be a genocide.

UNRWA staff like Jaber are still in Gaza, still showing up for their people every single day. Still creating spaces where kids can experience a sense of relief and normalcy after having so much taken away from them.

Kids in Gaza should have the chance to just be kids. This is their right and the reality we insist on actualizing for them—even if the headlines stop or the world looks away.

Millions of dollars have been raised to support UNRWA mental healthcare workers like Jaber, who provide vital care through our signature fundraising event, the Gaza 5K. Join us for our next Gaza 5K in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, May 16, as we aim to raise $500,000 to support UNRWA counselors on the ground in Gaza. Your support helps them continue delivering critical aid to children and families. Support UNRWA mental healthcare counselors like Jaber today at gaza5k.org.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

UNRWA USA

Our UNRWA USA team is growing!

We’re on the lookout for a talented individual to join our team as CEO and Board Support Officer!

This role is essential to our mission of uplifting the humanity of Palestine refugees to secure American support for resources essential to every human being, for the promise of a better life.

If you have a deep understanding of board best practices and nonprofits, the ability to work independently, and are attentive to detail and highly organized, we encourage you to apply for this role. Visit our website to learn more about this position and to submit your application today.

Until there is a just solution to their plight, we are committed to creating a world where Palestine refugees thrive. Join our team in making this vision a reality.

🔗 Apply now: unrwausa.org/work-with-us

1 month ago | [YT] | 25

UNRWA USA

getinvolved.unrwausa.org/event/2026-dallas-gaza-5k…

Texas, we’re heading back! 🏃🏽‍♀️‍➡️🏃🏽‍♂️‍➡️

They say everything is bigger in Texas—and Dallas, you proved it in 2024 when you showed up BIG for Palestine refugees at our inaugural Dallas Gaza 5K. The incredible turnout made one thing clear: this community runs strong for Gaza.

Gaza still needs us. And we need each other, too.

Our signature Gaza 5K walk/run brings mental health support and trauma relief to refugee children in Gaza through UNRWA counselors on the ground. This year in Dallas, we’re running, walking, and fundraising together with a goal of raising $500,000 for children’s mental health in Gaza.

From the Lone Star State to Palestine, no child should have to live under constant distress. By signing up and fundraising, you can help bring critical care and support to refugee children in Gaza.

📍 Bachman Lake Park, Dallas, Texas
🗓️ Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 8 am– 1 pm
🏃🏻‍♀️ Register, start a team, and fundraise at gaza5k.org
🖼️ Art by Palestinian American illustrator Lena Kassicieh
Mark your calendars, tag a friend from the DFW, and come walk or run for Gaza.

🤠 Dallas, yalla y’all!

***Registration sold out quickly in 2024, so be sure to secure your spot early and register today.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

UNRWA USA

UNRWA staff in Gaza like Dyana are the ones who keep this work going. They show up every single day for their people against all odds, through personal losses, and enduring ongoing displacement themselves.

See how your Zakat reaches Palestinian families in Gaza. UNRWA doesn’t guess what families need, 100% of the money you give is delivered directly to their hands so they can decide for themselves.

As Ramadan comes to a close, let’s turn our solidarity into action. Share this story, make a donation, and stand with UNRWA staff like Dyana who are working day in and day out for their people.

You have the power to directly support them and the families they serve, take that step with us today.

www.unrwausa.org/give-1

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

UNRWA USA

While many break their fast in safety this Ramadan, thousands in Gaza are still struggling for the most basic necessities.

🌙In these final days of Ramadan, our CEO Mara Kronenfeld shares a message of solidarity and gratitude for those who continue to stand with Palestine refugees.

Across Gaza, 12,000 UNRWA staff remain on the ground every day, working under unimaginable conditions to provide clean water, medical care, education, and trauma support to hundreds of thousands of Palestine refugees. Each day, they see 15,000 patients, educate tens of thousands of children, and continue delivering lifesaving assistance to families who need it most.

This work is only possible because of the compassion and solidarity of supporters like you.

During Ramadan, 100% of Zakat contributions will go directly to those in need in Gaza, helping ensure families can access critical aid.

Your support is truly a matter of life or death. Ramadan Mubarak to all who are observing.

Give today at
www.unrwausa.org/give-1

1 month ago | [YT] | 23

UNRWA USA

Dublin’s Famine Memorial honors Ireland’s Great Hunger, a time when food was readily available, yet millions starved because access was denied simply for who they were.

🍀On St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a reminder: famine is never just about scarcity.
It’s about power.
It’s man-made.
And today, it’s happening again.

In Gaza, food is available just outside its borders. But the Israeli military is blocking UNRWA — Gaza’s humanitarian backbone — from bringing it in.
UNRWA is still in Gaza. Its 12,000 staff never left.

Every day they’re:
🩵 Running Gaza’s primary healthcare clinics
🩵 Providing water and sanitation
🩵 Counseling children
🩵 Helping kids get back to learning

UNRWA has the infrastructure and the trust to deliver aid at scale.
This isn’t a failure of capacity.
It’s a denial of access and of humanity.

On this St. Patrick’s Day, let us not forget the history of the people of Ireland and their deep sympathy for the Palestinian people whose history they see deep parallels in.
Call your representatives. Demand pressure to lift the blockade and allow UNRWA to do its work.
Advocate: www.unrwausa.org/contact-congress

🍀🌺 May clovers and poppies continue to stand together in the fields of understanding and remembering their histories, sharing their stories, and working toward a better tomorrow.

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

UNRWA USA

Not a filter. Not a movie. Not AI. This is Gaza…unfiltered.

A sandstorm swept across the Gaza Strip on Saturday (March 14, 2026), filling the air with dust and reducing visibility.
For families living in overcrowded shelters, tents and ruined buildings, harsh weather adds yet another challenge. Dust gets everywhere, worsening daily life for children and families already facing severe hardship.
Despite these conditions, UNRWA works every day to support communities with essential services, including healthcare, learning and clean water.

www.unrwausa.org/give-1

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

UNRWA USA

What would you do in this situation?

It’s Ramadan, the holiest month of the year. You’re fasting and everyone you love is too for the third year in a row under Israel’s constant bombardment of Gaza. You don’t know where your next meal will come from or if you’ll even be able to break your fast. Despite it, you try to keep the Ramadan spirit alive, knowing that no one should ever have to live through this.

This is the reality for Palestinians in Gaza right now.
Yesterday, Israel bombed families who were seeking refuge in tents because their homes were destroyed by bombs.

And still, when the sun sets, families insist on life. They gather to honor the holiness of this sacred month and break their fast however they can.

Right now, we are working around the clock to get cash directly into the hands of refugee families in Gaza.

When the borders are closed and aid can’t get in, cash is the only thing left that still has life-saving power. Your solidarity isn’t just a gesture—it’s a deliberate act that is the difference between dignity and hopelessness for families who have endured violence and displacement for far too long.

This Ramadan, don’t forget Gaza. Send your solidarity directly to families who are holding on through it all.

www.unrwausa.org/give-1

1 month ago | [YT] | 3