U.S. aid cuts put millions in peril

The Department of State has terminated over 10,000 foreign aid grants and contracts in a devastating blow to global humanitarian efforts. This decision has severely impacted communities worldwide.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has lost 46 grants from USAID and the State Department as of February 28th. This means at least 2 million people in crisis areas will no longer get the help they urgently need.

Vulnerable communities who rely on humanitarian aid to survive are being left with nothing. This is a matter of life or death.

Now is the time to meet the moment. Read on to learn what’s at risk and find out how you can help.

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Programs at risk

IRC programs that had been classified as "lifesaving activities," and therefore been given a waiver from the foreign aid suspension, are at risk of shutting down. This impacts places like Sudan, Yemen and Myanmar, where millions of innocent people are already suffering from war and disaster.

Below are just three of the many IRC programs at risk:

Malnutrition services for children

The IRC runs over 40 nutrition stabilization centers in crisis areas to help children get the care they need to stay alive. These centers save the lives of severely malnourished children by providing 24/7 medical support, special foods like peanut paste to help them recover, and malnutrition prevention support for families.

Without funding, hundreds of thousands of people will lose support for feeding babies and young children. These critical programs could shut down in, at minimum, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Afghanistan, with potentially even more countries impacted.

An IRC health care worker treats a young child for malnutrition in Chad.

Mountasse’s family escaped the war in Sudan after his mother was killed. By the time he arrived in Farchana, Chad, with his aunt, Safa, Mountasse had developed severe acute malnutrition and was immediately admitted to the IRC’s clinic for treatment.

Photo: Jacob Zocherman for the IRC

Maternal and newborn health services

With U.S. funding, the IRC operates over 750 health facilities in 17 countries. This helps millions of women access the vital care needed for safer pregnancies and lowers the risk of infections.

Without this funding, over 100,000 pregnant women won’t get the care they need. This puts both mothers and babies at risk, especially in places like Haiti and Yemen that lack health care infrastructure.

A mother holds her young child in her arms at an IRC health clinic in Syria.

Amal* and her family live in a camp for internally displaced Syrians. She takes her son, Hamoudi, to the IRC’s clinic in the camp for regular check-ups with a pediatrician.

Photo: Iuna Vieira for the IRC

Preventing and treating infectious diseases

Nearly 80% of outpatient visits at the IRC’s 3,300 health facilities are for infectious diseases like malaria, dengue and HIV/AIDS. These programs are vital for preventing and controlling outbreaks in vulnerable communities.

When these infections aren’t contained, diseases can spread beyond borders, posing a global health risk. By supporting international health programs and increasing funding for preventative care, we can protect communities and prevent outbreaks from becoming global crises.

An IRC health care worker administers vaccines to students at a school in Sierra Leone.

In Bo, Sierra Leone, 9-year-old Yema Kargbo bravely receives her lifesaving vaccine. With US funds cut, we urgently need your support to continue protecting children like Yema from preventable diseases.

Photo: Frédéric Schmuziger for the IRC

How the IRC is responding

For over 90 years, the IRC has been saving lives and supporting people in need. We know how to push through tough times by focusing on what matters most—helping those in crisis, working hand-in-hand with communities and treating people with dignity.

We’re asking the administration to reverse its decision to cut foreign aid funding. Humanitarian aid doesn’t just save lives—it builds a safer, more stable world. It means fewer wars, fewer people fleeing their homes and less global poverty. It also creates stronger allies and safer communities for all of us.

We urgently need your support

The IRC has always risen to the moment in the most challenging situations for our clients, and we will continue to do so. However, we urgently need your support to help us reach more people in need during these critical times.

Donate: The IRC relies on donors like you to deliver lasting impact in more than 40 crisis-affected countries worldwide.

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