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Children face unfathomable emergencies and chronic crises, threatening their rights to grow up healthy, safe and hopeful. Donor support is crucial to UNICEF’s response across the globe.
From wars in Gaza and Ukraine to an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis in the Horn of Africa, the dangers facing the world's children keep coming.
UNICEF responds to hundreds of emergencies every year while helping children in need at every stage of their growth and development. Your UNICEF USA donation helps create a world where every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Donate to children in need
Every child, no matter where they're born, has a right to a childhood that's safe, healthy and full of possibility. When you donate to UNICEF USA, your contribution goes directly to providing the most vulnerable children with the essentials they need — nutrition, clean water, protection, education and health care — not just to survive, but to thrive.
UNICEF donation options
One-time donations
One-time donations are a critical foundation of UNICEF's ability to spring into action when children need help. Whether you make a UNICEF donation when a crisis hits or during the end-of-year giving season, your contribution will have life-changing impact. One-time unrestricted funds empower UNICEF to deploy emergency supplies, reach isolated communities and help children in need — right when it matters most.
Monthly donations
When disaster strikes, children suffer the most. Each day, for example, thousands of children under the age of 5 die from preventable causes — deaths that should never happen, and often don't, thanks to sustained support from donors like you.
Monthly donors help keep UNICEF agile and ready to respond when disaster strikes. With this steady stream of support, UNICEF can preposition supplies in areas prone to hurricanes and tropical storms. Monthly donations also fund long-term, sustainable solutions that can help countries and communities rebuild and bolster resilience to future crises.
The generous support of monthly donors also helps UNICEF provide equitable support to children who may be overlooked. Thanks to monthly contributions, children impacted by protracted emergencies that are no longer in the spotlight can still receive vital humanitarian aid.
Learn more about the power of your monthly donations
Online donations
Making an online donation is a quick, convenient way to support UNICEF’s work for children. Once you make an online donation, you will automatically receive email updates on the impact of your support. Though one particular emergency may have convinced you to support UNICEF, UNICEF USA’s UNICEF in Action hub features new stories every week about UNICEF’s work around the globe.
Mail-in donations
While online donations may be easiest for some donors, UNICEF USA gratefully accepts donations by mail. If you'd like to contribute by mail, please send a personal check to UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF PO Box 781419 Philadelphia, PA 19178-1419.
More ways to donate to children in need
Leadership Circle
Every donation makes a difference. But some of the most transformative work UNICEF does requires significant, sustained investment, and that’s where Leadership Circle members play a defining role.
Open to donors of $1,000 or more, UNICEF USA's Leadership Circle allows people to crowdfund innovative, life-changing projects.
The Leadership Circle has championed recent projects, such as health clinics for children impacted by humanitarian crises, cutting-edge technology for drilling wells in rural Guinea, and scholarships that save girls from early marriage.
Banding together with like-minded individuals to make a difference is a benefit for the Leadership Circle members. In recognition of their compassion and commitment, members also have access to exclusive UNICEF USA events and personal updates from the dedicated UNICEF USA Leadership Circle support team.
Donor-advised funds
There’s more than one way to make a meaningful impact. Many UNICEF USA supporters find donor-advised funds (DAFs) to be a flexible, tax-efficient alternative that maximizes their impact.
A DAF works like an investment account to which a donor can make annual tax-deductible gifts for allocation immediately or at a future time. From a DAF account, a donor can award grants to IRS-approved 501(c)(3) charities, such as UNICEF USA. Donor-advised funds accept such assets as cash, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and more, typically offering immediate tax deductions for those charitable contributions. Donors who make gifts via DAF receive their charitable gift receipt from the DAF, not the recipient of the DAF grant.
Numerous financial institutions offer DAFs, and UNICEF USA makes no DAF endorsements. Clients of BNY Mellon, Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable and many others can make DAF designations via the DAFpay button on our DAF Giving page.
Learn more about donor-advised funds
How your donation helps children in need
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives and defend their rights. UNICEF has provided lifesaving care to more children than any other humanitarian organization.
However, UNICEF wants more for children than survival. Before, during and after disaster strikes, UNICEF and partners provide programs designed to help every child fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
Learn more about where UNICEF works
Children’s health
For more than 80 years, UNICEF has worked tirelessly to create a world in which no mothers, newborns or children need die from preventable causes. UNICEF has made significant progress by collaborating with communities globally to provide ongoing essential care services, including nutrition and immunization programs for mothers and children. UNICEF also helps communities strengthen the water, sanitation, and hygiene services critical to children's health and the fight against disease.
When emergencies like disease outbreaks strike, UNICEF is there to provide humanitarian relief and treatment to the children and families impacted. Long after the initial danger has passed, UNICEF continues to help children recover from the physical and mental health impacts. Strengthening health systems is embedded in UNICEF's humanitarian response.
Your support means more children reach their fifth birthday, recover from illness and grow up with the support, care and opportunities that are every child's right.
Learn more about how your donation helps protect children's health
Children’s education
When children can't get to school, UNICEF brings education to them no matter where they are. Today, thanks to UNICEF's help, children can learn in tents in refugee camps, in schools, at home on a computer and nearly anywhere else using a parent's mobile phone.
Through innovation and partnership, UNICEF trains and supports teachers and provides the essentials every student needs to excel — from basics like books and learning materials to 21st-century digital tools.
In Malawi, desks and scholarships provided by the Kids In Need of Desks (K.I.ND.) Fund help students — especially girls — access opportunities many never dreamed possible. The Learning Passport, a free online, mobile and offline digital platform, ensures students worldwide learn despite crises. Developed by UNICEF, Microsoft and other partners in response to COVID-19's global education crisis, the Learning Passport now connects kids with lessons and teachers they can access anywhere.
With your support, UNICEF can continue this vital work and do even more to advance every child's right to learn.
Learn more about how your donation supports children’s education
Children’s protection
UNICEF collaborates with families, partners and governments to advance a world where children can grow up free from fear, exploitation and abuse.
In UNICEF-supported child-friendly spaces, children living in conflict zones can play, learn and receive psychosocial support. In the chaos of war, UNICEF also helps children separated from their families reunite with their loved ones and caregivers.
Child marriage, trafficking and online predators are other dangers UNICEF works to combat. UNICEF also fights such harmful practices as female genital mutilation, a form of violence against young girls that can cause lifelong suffering.
Eradicating such practices and scaling up services in the communities where children live requires collaboration. Working with national and local governments, UNICEF advances child-centered governance — an approach that centers children’s rights, voices and well-being in public decision-making. In the United States, UNICEF USA partners with local governments and communities to embed these practices into policies and systems, helping make cities more just, equitable and inclusive for children and families.
Take action today. Every child deserves to grow up free from fear, and your support helps make that possible.
Learn more about how your donation protects children
Respect for children
Children have the right to thrive and reach their full potential. They also have the right to be heard, considered and counted.
Upholding these rights is central to UNICEF's work to ensure respect for children and their viewpoints. UNICEF fights child labor and child marriage, violence and abuse and exclusion of children with disabilities. UNICEF also amplifies the voices of children and young people about such issues as climate change and supports their hopes, ambitions and efforts to improve their lives and secure their futures.
Join UNICEF and other children's advocates to help young people access information and opportunities to enact positive change for themselves and the world.
Learn more about how your donation protects children’s rights
UNICEF donation FAQs & tax information
How do I donate to UNICEF USA?
Donate to UNICEF USA online or by mail. UNICEF USA accepts personal checks sent to UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF PO Box 781419 Philadelphia, PA 19178-1419.
Can I specify how my donation is used?
The most efficient way to help UNICEF reach the most significant number of children is through unrestricted donations. Over eight decades, UNICEF has built networks, formed partnerships and perfected supply deliveries to get help where and when it’s needed. Flexible funding makes that possible.
Unrestricted donations also ensure that UNICEF's global humanitarian warehouse is well-stocked with supplies, which can reach children in need anywhere in the world in under 72 hours.
To better understand what your donations can buy, shop the UNICEF Inspired Gifts collection. UNICEF Inspired Gifts can help support the lifesaving supplies UNICEF stocks and the delivery that supports children's survival, growth and development.
What portion of UNICEF USA's budget is spent helping children?
UNICEF USA has been awarded GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest rating, in recognition of the honesty and visibility provided to supporters. UNICEF USA has also earned high marks for transparency and accountability from Charity Navigator.
UNICEF USA's program expense ratio of 84 percent means we are a highly efficient charity, as defined by independent monitors. For every dollar spent, 84 cents goes directly toward helping children. UNICEF USA invests roughly 16 cents of every dollar on the fundraising and operational support required to deliver that impact. UNICEF USA's most recent annual report and tax forms are accessible online for easy viewing and downloading on our finance page.
Are my donations tax-deductible?
Yes, all donations to UNICEF USA are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donors receive a tax receipt for your records. For reference UNICEF USA's tax information is below:
Our legal name: U.S. Fund for UNICEF d/b/a UNICEF USA
Our Federal Identification Number: 13-1760110
The IRS letter confirming our 501(c)(3) status can be downloaded here in PDF format.
Can I donate goods or supplies instead of money?
Except in very rare cases, UNICEF USA does not accept non-cash goods for donation due to logistical challenges. Monetary donations are the most streamlined way to assist, allowing for most efficient and speedy procurement and delivery. To learn more about the supplies UNICEF delivers to children worldwide, browse UNICEF USA's Inspired Gifts collection.
How does UNICEF measure the effectiveness of its programs?
UNICEF employs rigorous monitoring and evaluation processes to assess the impact of its programs. Through data collection, assessments and engagement with the communities it serves, UNICEF ensures that interventions achieve the maximum outcomes for the most significant number of children. Click here to learn more about what UNICEF does.
How can I get involved beyond making a financial donation?
Making financial contributions isn't the only way to support UNICEF's work. Educating yourself about child rights and inspiring others to do the same is another way to make a difference.
Working in your community is an excellent place to start. Advocate for children's rights by raising awareness of the challenges facing children worldwide. UNICEF USA's Action Center is an easy-to-use vehicle for voicing opinions to lawmakers and supporting child-friendly legislation.
Joining UNICEF Clubs can connect you with like-minded individuals and amplify your impact. Consider fundraising by participating in UNICEF USA events or organizing your charity initiatives.
To explore a career, job or internship, check out the internship or employment opportunities with UNICEF USA.
How can I get in touch with UNICEF USA if I have further questions or concerns?
If you have further questions or concerns, contact UNICEF USA online, call 1-800-FOR-KIDS (1-800-367-5437) or contact us via mail at 125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038. Members of our Stewardship Services team are eager to assist by providing information regarding UNICEF programs, donations, communications and much more.
UNICEF USA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law, and donors receive a receipt for their records.