Dear Friend,

It has been a particularly challenging year in our country – the effects of which reach far beyond our borders. The persistent and insidious undercurrent of racism, discrimination, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism is a national emergency that impacts not only the communities we serve, but also Oxfam's staff, their families, and you – our generous supporters. In practice, recent policies serve to attack our very own mission to end the injustice of poverty.

And yet, despite this darkness, I am incredibly proud and grateful for all that we have accomplished together in the past year.

You stepped up for families across the world in their hour of need and never stopped fighting for long-term solutions to end the injustice of poverty around the world.

Last year, with your help, 22.3 million people around the world benefitted directly from Oxfam's programs. 877,000 people now have access to savings and loans opportunities thanks to our joint efforts. And, almost two million global citizens like you took action in campaigns for social change.

Here are other tangible examples of how we made a difference together in 2019:

• Saved lives in disasters after Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Kenneth devastated Southern Africa. Oxfam responded by providing clean water, toilets, hygiene kits, and shelter materials in specific areas.
• Gave farmers and rural families new ways to manage risks they face from increasingly erratic weather exacerbated by changes in our climate.
• Tackled the root causes of why families are fleeing Central America with programs and advocacy work that promote gender and economic equality.
• Kept hope alive while the Amazon forest burned, providing clean water to indigenous communities and the people most vulnerable to the fire's effects.
• Challenged food companies to treat their supply chain workers better. Amazon and its subsidiary Whole Foods recently released supplier standards that recognize the importance of human rights, respecting the environment, and promoting dignity for the workers who produce and package the food they sell.
• Continued to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with aid, including clean water, hygiene items, and cash assistance. And here at home, we pressured the United States government to end arms sales for the war in Yemen.
• Demanded Dignity for All as we launched a challenge to all presidential candidates to act on issues that are widening inequality here in the United States and around the world.

Your overwhelming support brings me optimism for 2020. Our collective efforts are having a real impact, and together we can face these challenges head-on.

Though our work spans more than 90 countries, we recognize the powerful role the United States plays in helping to realize our vision of a just world without poverty. That's why there's so much at stake in 2020 – a pivotal year with a lot on the line.

Together we will continue to tackle the extreme inequality that threatens to undermine the progress we've made in fighting global poverty. Together, we will continue to fight for dignity, compassion, human rights, and equality. Though Oxfam is a nonpartisan organization, we are committed to holding elected officials accountable, regardless of their party, and fighting to protect the rights of the people we serve – here in the United States and around the world.

Oxfam takes a long-term approach to eliminating poverty by working with local communities and partners to create lasting solutions. These sustained efforts are impossible without you, which is why I'm both grateful for your support and eager to continue our partnership in 2020.

I wish you well this New Year – with renewed energy and optimism to affect change in 2020.

With gratitude,

Abby Maxman
President
Oxfam America