Live Updates

This week, as part of our GEM–HGBF humanitarian missions, alongside our ongoing deliveries of food and water to eastern war torn regions of Ukraine. GEM President @michaelcapponi, Ukraine Programs Director @alina.kurs_ & our @globalempowermentmissionua teams brought Christmas gifts to children who continue to live with their parents in frontline communities.

This year’s gift packages included not only toys, but also a children’s book by author Devon Buffett, beautifully illustrated and translated into Ukrainian. The children’s genuine joy and radiant smiles as they received their gifts were deeply moving.

It is heartbreaking to witness childhood meant to be joyful, carefree, and full of possibility unfold instead in bomb shelters and under constant threat. Some of the villages we visited have lived without electricity for nearly three years, a stark reminder of the conditions these families endure.

We are profoundly grateful for the opportunity, even if only for a moment, to help ease these children’s fears and to bring them small but meaningful moments of happiness amid the realities of war.

#ukraine ...

Our #GEM Tribal Impact West Coast family joined hands with not one, but seven First Nations this past weekend— standing proudly with the Tule River Tribal Council and Eagle Mountain Casino for our 2nd Annual GEM Christmas Gathering. What unfolded was nothing short of sacred.

From the moment the doors opened, thousands of tribal children filled the space with laughter, light, and joy. Hundreds of elders were honored with gifts, warm meals, and the kind of love that stays with you long after the day has passed. Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch, gingerbread bears, Bigfoot, and so many other joyful spirits made their way through the crowd, each one adding even more magic to the celebration.

The EMC staff and our Tule TRAP team moved with purpose and generosity — lifting, guiding, building, and breaking down, every step fueled by unity and community pride. Together, we created 75 major giveaways, served 3,000 hot meals, and shared blessings too many to count. Tribes from across the Central Valley came together as one, and in that togetherness, every volunteer, every helper, and every team member walked away with a heart overflowing.

A special and heartfelt thank you to Chairman Shine Nieto of the Tule River Tribe, Jess James of Eagle Mountain Casino, and Chairwoman Liz Hutchins of Big Sandy. Your leadership, dedication, and months of planning helped transform this gathering into something truly beautiful—something felt deeply in the spirit.

This year’s celebration reminded us that when we walk in unity, honor our elders, and uplift our children, the Creator meets us exactly where we stand.

We can’t wait to see what next year brings. Until then, our hearts remain full, humbled, and profoundly grateful. To learn more visit the link in bio section, or www.GEM.org

#GEMTribalImpact #EagleMountainCasino #TuleRiverTribe #TuleRiverYokuts #BigSandyRancheria #BigSandyRancheriaOfMonoIndians #TejonIndianTribe #TübatulabalOfKernValley #ColdSpringsRancheria #ColdSpringsRancheriaOfMonoIndians #NorthForkRancheria #NorthForkRancheriaOfMonoIndians #FirstNations #CentralValleyTribes #CommunityStrong #HonoringOurElders #EmpoweringOurYouth #NativeLed #UnityInTheValley ...

On this global day of generosity, #GivingTuesday, we invite you to partner with us as we respond to the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises.

Our mission is simple: to provide immediate relief and empower the long-term recovery of communities impacted by disaster.

Your support ensures that when crisis hits—from providing essential supplies to supporting rebuilding efforts—we can act swiftly and decisively. We turn moments of devastation into opportunities for renewed hope and resilience.

Today, your investment in this critical work will be magnified.

A generous partner has committed to MATCH EVERY DOLLAR DONATED, up to $200,000.

This means your contribution carries double the weight, doubling our capacity to deliver aid and rebuild lives. Help us secure this full match and amplify our global impact. Your donation today is twice as powerful. Tap the link in our bio to make a difference. DONATE TODAY: https://give.gem.org/campaign/735778/donate or visit GEM.org

#GivingTuesday #GEM #GEMmissions
#DisasterRelief #HumanitarianAid #GlobalImpact #CrisisResponse #CommunityResilience #GlobalGiving #Impact #GivingTuesday #MatchingGift #DoubleYourDonation ...

Central Vietnam is facing one of the worst flood seasons in years. A sequence of 19 typhoons and tropical depressions has destroyed or severely damaged more than 337,000 homes and submerged 553,500 hectares of crops, wiping out entire harvests, food stores, and family income. Livestock losses have further devastated livelihoods. The death toll has surpassed 90, with 409 people dead or missing across the region this year.

With support from our local partner VMK, the GEM Europe team is delivering emergency food directly to the hardest-hit communities. Many areas remain difficult to access, but our logistics and vetted distribution systems allow us to reach families quickly and efficiently.

Our focus is immediate stabilization — ensuring families who lost everything receive essential supplies now, while longer-term recovery begins. GEM continues operating where needs are most urgent, powered by partners who enable fast, effective response. To learn more, and support visit the link in our bio, or www.GEM.org ...

Our @globalempowermentmissionmena branch, in close partnership with @samaritanspurse and @hcicanada has been working around the clock to support families facing the harsh winter months. Together, we have supplied tens of thousands of families with durable winter tents, warm clothing, and essential relief items.

This coordinated effort is helping protect some of the region’s most vulnerable communities from severe cold, giving families safety, warmth, and dignity during an extremely difficult season. ...

This weekend, GEM West, in partnership with @rotarydistrict5280 came together for a powerful Recovery Pop-Up in the Palisades; beautifully hosted by the Pali LTRG at the American Legion.

Although rooted in the Palisades, this event opened its arms to all fire survivors across the region. We were humbled to welcome families from Malibu, Topanga, and even Altadena residents currently staying in Santa Monica area.

With 38 incredible partners and service providers standing beside us, offering long-term recovery support, childcare resources, kids zone, hot meals from the Southern Baptists, music, acupuncture, distribution items, and so much more, the day was a reminder of what true community looks like. We are honored to bring love, light, and compassion to families walking through some of the darkest and most uncertain chapters of their lives. Our mission is simple: to walk with them, hand in hand, as they navigate the road to recovery. Almost $500K in aid and resources to 277 families, 695 individuals, 60 volunteers - 32 of them from our rotary partners.

“GEM West teams work very hard to work with everyone so we don’t forget anyone,” says GEM West Director, Elizabeth Jernberg. Today reflected the heart of real recovery: we listen, we hear, and we show up with solutions.”

You are not alone. You are never forgotten. #LA #fires #GEM #Bstrong To learn more visit the link in our bio section. Thank you @good360usa for providing so much good. ...

We’re honored to announce a powerful new partnership between @foodforthepoorinc @foodforthepoorja and @globalempowermentmission. This partnership is aimed to accelerate life-saving relief for families in #Jamaica devastated by #HurricaneMelissa.

Together, our organizations will co-produce tens of thousands of food and @good360usa hygiene kits. These kits contain staple food items and essential hygiene supplies to support families experiencing severe loss and disruption.

This collaboration brings together FFTP’s extensive in-country logistics and distribution network with GEM’s rapid packaging, shipping, and large-scale emergency response capabilities. By combining strengths, we are able to act with greater speed, reach, and compassion in the hardest-hit regions.

As part of this partnership, GEM will also produce food kits to support field operations under the GEM @iom.jamaica tarp installation program, ensuring families who lost roofs and shelter receive both structural support and immediate relief.

GEM has been on the ground in Jamaica since Hurricane Beryl, repairing over 735 roofs and delivering more than $5 million in aid since Melissa’s landfall. With this new partnership, both organizations are scaling up for a sustained, long-term commitment to support Jamaica through this challenging chapter.

This is solidarity in action—and together, we are stronger for the people of Jamaica. @afjcares is supporting this program along with @ncbfoundation and @wegmans. ...

Jamaica Health Sector Update: GEM in partnership with @iom.jamaica @iom.caribbean & @afjcares has been working around the clock to support Jamaica’s health-sector recovery following the devastating impact of #HurricaneMelissa. The destruction across the island has been unprecedented — with hundreds of health centers & hospitals damaged or destroyed — leaving hundreds of thousands of families without reliable access to essential care.

To help stabilize the public-health system and restore lifesaving services, we have launched an urgent program to install durable temporary roofing solutions using high-grade tarpaulins and structural reinforcements. These temporary roofs enable medical teams to safely reopen facilities and resume operations for thousands of patients. In 2026, this program will expand to include full repairs and restoration.

This operation is being carried out under the direction and oversight of Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, Chief Medical Officer of Jamaica, in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

In addition to temp roof restoration, we are supporting the wider public-health network with essential supplies, including:
• Heavy-duty tarpaulins and complete shelter kits for displaced healthcare workers, essential service providers, and vulnerable households.
• Urgently needed bottled water, cleaning products, and hygiene supplies delivered to Parish Managers for distribution across hospitals, clinics, and health facilities in each parish.

Completed Health Centers – Westmoreland:
• Darliston, Cornwall Mountain, Williamsfield, Baulk, George’s Plain, Grange Hill, Jerusalem, Little London, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland Health Department, Beeston Spring, New Hope-Beeston Spring, Whitehouse, Bethel Town, Lambs River, Negril
St. Elizabeth, Newmarket, Maggotty ,Brases River, Hanover in progress, Noel Holmes Hospital
Overall GEM Impact to Date - This initiative is just one of many emergency programs underway. To date, GEM has already delivered:
•Pallets: 1,702
•Value: $4,918,733.29
•Weight: 2,209,490 lbs
•Planes: 21
•Containers: 18
•Ships: 2 (to learn more or donate please visit the link in our bio above) #jamaica ...

GAZA UPDATE — Our @globalempowermentmission MENA branch has significantly increased its operational output across Gaza since summer 2025.

Coordinating large-scale humanitarian response efforts is never simple — it requires extraordinary logistical coordination, proven systems, and precision at every level. True impact depends on the seamless alignment of methods, infrastructure, and partnerships working in unison to deliver life-saving aid where it’s needed most. GEM ensures donors that aid gets distributed directly into civilian hands. We don’t do drops, we meet the families and bring not only aid but smiles and hope.

GEM MENA is now scaling up operations even more to expand both reach and efficiency throughout the region. This expansion would not be possible without the shared vision, resources, and unwavering commitment of our partners. We extend our deepest gratitude to @hcicanada , @rapidreliefteam_uk, @samaritanspurse, @wop_ev , and many others who make this work possible. #Humanity @globalempowermentmissionmena ...

First series of photos from GEM’s 15-year anniversary kick off campaign. This was an immersive celebration at our 60,000-square-foot @prologis warehouse. The event took place at our global headquarters which fuels our worldwide disaster-response operations.

What began as a small grassroots initiative has evolved into one of the most innovative and effective forces in global disaster relief. Today, GEM’s nine international branches deliver rapid, life-saving assistance within hours of disaster striking, while simultaneously executing long-term recovery programs that help communities rebuild stronger, safer, and more resilient than before.

The milestone event was hosted by Founder and President @michaelcapponi together with GEM’s Executive Board. In a powerful address, Capponi shared the organization’s remarkable journey — from its inception during the 2010 Haiti earthquake response to becoming a global model for efficiency, accountability, and compassion in humanitarian aid.

The evening featured a special video message from Miami-Dade County Mayor @mayordlc recognizing GEM’s longstanding partnership with the county and its unwavering commitment to both local and international relief efforts. Several aid recipients also shared emotional testimonials, describing how GEM’s support transformed their lives in times of profound crisis.

Adding an artistic dimension to the celebration, Miami-based artist @petertunney donated several original works for auction, with proceeds directly supporting GEM’s ongoing global missions.

Distinguished guests and dignitaries in attendance included @romarley, @indiahicksstyle , Former Miss Jamaica and Miss World @toniannsingh , Patrick Morris, @mattibower Commissioner @daniellecohenhiggins , @darielfernandez , @alinagarciamiami @councilwomandignacabral , and @fabiolastuyvesant — each representing the diverse network of partners, supporters, and changemakers who have helped power GEM’s mission over the past decade and a half. @globalempowermentmission ...

We are rapidly moving large-scale humanitarian aid into Jamaica through our Smart Partnership Model — a proven system that brings together logistics, product donors, and global transport partners to maximize impact.

Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) is proud to collaborate with @airlinkflight and @dhlus @dhl_global ensuring critical supplies reach the hardest-hit regions efficiently and effectively.

This hurricane has been catastrophic on every level, devastating a highly populated island and affecting over 2 million people. @globalempowermentmission is spearheading the supply chain flow, mobilizing our extensive network of hundreds of product donors, including @Good360, to deliver essential relief.

A heartfelt thank you to all our generous transport and logistics partners whose support makes these missions possible. To date, we have brought in over 500 Metric Tonnes (1.1 M lbs) of critical life saving supplies into #Jamaica. #hurricanemelissa ...

Teams in #accompong last night supporting the #maroon people. These are some of the deeper areas that have not yet received aid. We still have hundreds of small villages to examine and support. This system is scaling daily.

Special thanks to all our other partners whose collective support has helped us with our distribution plans and goals.
@sflcaribbeanstrong @lyn.thalia @afjcares @good360usa @romarley @cedellamarley @iomjamaica @bobmarleyfoundation @irie @iriefoundation @ghettoyouthsfoundation @goldeneye @goldeneye_foundation
@iom.jamaica @bethennyfrankel @airlink @direalshaggy @aerialrecoverygroup ...