This year, your incredible compassion and generosity improved the lives of so many people who faced unimaginable hardship.

You provided medicine and food to children in Ethiopia weakened by drought.

You restored jobs to fishermen in Japan who lost everything to the massive tsunami.

You gave hope to parents in the world’s toughest places who struggle against all odds to build a better life for their children.

Meet just a few of those whose lives you have changed:

Nimo, a 25-year-old mother in Kenya, didn’t have enough drinking water for her family during the region’s worst drought in 60 years. But our teams trucked in tankloads of water to Nimo’s village, part of our lifesaving assistance to more than 1 million people throughout the region.

Thirteen-year-old Herma lived through the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti that killed 150,000 people nearly two years ago. Every week she participates in our Moving Forward program, which uses sports to teach kids the team-building and communication skills they need to feel empowered and secure in their lives. Our youth programs in Haiti have reached more than 90,000 children.

Japan’s massive tsunami in March killed 22,000 people and decimated the fishing industry along the northeast coast. In the coastal town of Minamisanriku, we reequipped salmon fish hatcheries and seaweed-processing facilities as part of our region-wide efforts to save the jobs of fisherman like Isami Hoshi.

These are just three of the lives you’ve changed this year with your generosity. On behalf of the millions of people we serve, thank you for helping restore hope and opportunity.

Sincerely,

Dan O’Neill