About Us

American Charities for Palestine (ACP) is an innovative charitable organization founded in June 2007 for the purpose of creating a secure mechanism for distributing contributions that improve the quality of life for Palestinians living in the West Bank. ACP believes there is an intimate connection between improving living conditions and providing hope and the reality of a secure peace between Israel and Palestine and is therefore pioneering a new approach for distributing secure donations to worthy causes that will help build both peace and Palestine. ACP is designated by the IRS as 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.

In August 2008, ACP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States Agency for International Development  (USAID) ensuring that all recipients of ACP donations in Palestine are fully vetted and approved by USAID. This is the first such agreement between USAID and any private organization, and it was described by USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore as a “historic step.” ACP donors are therefore assured that their generosity will be distributed in full compliance with US law as well as reaching truly deserving recipients.

ACP focuses primarily on the fields of health and education. These two sectors are not only central to the immediate improvement of the quality of life for Palestinians, but also indispensable for laying the foundations of a viable future Palestinian state to live alongside Israel. In targeting these two sectors, ACP hopes to advance the cause of peace based on two states – Israel and Palestine – and to support efforts by the United States government to realize this crucial policy goal. In its humanitarian projects, ACP works directly with Palestinian and international charities, as well as USAID and Palestinian Authority agencies.

Since signing the partnership agreement with USAID, ACP has successfully completed three charitable initiatives benefiting Palestinians in the West Bank, with amounts totaling $605,000 in contributions.

• In November of 2008, the Palestinian Ministry of Education and USAID began the distribution of 1,000 laptop computers valued at $200,000, donated by One Laptop per Child in partnership with ACP, to schools managed by the PA, UNRWA and the private sector.
• The following year, ACP presented the Spafford Children’s Center of Jerusalem with a contribution of $5,000 to support their invaluable contributions to the health and well being of disadvantaged children in the old city of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas.
• ACP also partnered with CHF International and the Sheikh Mohammed Shami Foundation to initiate a $400,000 development project in the West Bank village of Beit Ur Al-Tahta in which we not only installed street lights along all village roads in an effort to make them safer but also repaired and repaved roads leading to the new girls’ high school, donated by the Shami Foundation.

ACP is committed to making a strategic impact on the quality of education and health care delivery to Palestinians. ACP’s partnership with USAID has created a mechanism that reassures donors, vets recipients and provides accountability and transparency. This unique package of safeguards, partnerships and services is particularly suited to attract donors who have an interest in promoting peace and security.