January 28th, 2009 — As friends and relatives poured into Washington, DC for inauguration weekend, three friends saw an opportunity to mobilize their communities to increase awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raise funds for UPA through a house party themed, Change for Gaza.

January 28th, 2009 — Over 175 people packed Washington, DC's Bossa Lounge to hear cutting edge artists Abeer Alzinaty and Huda Asfour perform at the Free Gaza Now fundraiser. The event was sponsored by Left Turn Magazine and Hope from People and raised $3,000 in relief aid procured through UPA.

January 28th, 2009 — New York City's Judson Memorial Church reverberated with the spoken word jams of Poets for Palestine artists Amiri Baraka, Amina Baraka, Marty McConnell, Remi Kanazi, Tahani Salah and Vaimoana Niumeitolu. Co-hosted by the Network of Arab American Professionals' New York chapter (NAAP-NY) and Urban Word NYC, this hard hitting event raised over $8,000 for UPA's Emergency Gaza Appeal.

May 15th, 2008 — In a first, UPA's latest humanitarian assistance grants — more than $130,000 — were funded entirely by individual donors, most of them Americans giving as little as $25 a month. "Our donors' response, especially to the crisis in Gaza, has been overwhelming," says UPA Director of Programs Melinda Borne. Individual giving trends for Gaza are especially significant as aid from institutional donors, including foundations and aid agencies, has come to a virtual halt.

March 14th, 2008 — Iqraa ("Read") is forming a team to run the Marine Corp Marathon and Baltimore Running Festival half-marathon next October and, as a member of the Marathon Charity Partners, to raise funds for UPA education programs. This will be the first Marathon team in the Washington-Baltimore metro area formed specifically to support Palestinian education. It's not too late to join!

March 13th, 2008 — A diverse audience from the Washington, D.C. metro area opened their hearts and their wallets last Saturday night to fight the twin crises of hunger and poverty, after learning about the man-made disaster of hunger in Gaza and D.C. They gave over $2,000 in a show of solidarity, with many committing to volunteer time in the future.

February 4th, 2008 — Empty shelves at the warehouse. Bare cupboards at home. A hand-to-mouth existence is daily fare for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It�s a global problem, but there are local solutions. On March 8, hear from two organizations fighting hunger in Washington, DC and Gaza, one of the most poverty-stricken places on Earth. Join us for a night of learning and solidarity, and learn what you can do about hunger and food insecurity in DC, Palestine, and beyond.