Civic News

Why refugee aid startup NeedsList is launching today

June 20 is World Refugee Day. This Philly-made site is going live to help those who need it the most.

Halfway around the world isn't as far as you think. (Photo by Flickr user Hanna Sörensson, used under a Creative Commons license)

Meeting the urgent supply needs of refugees is the driving mission of Philly-based social enterprise NeedsList, which goes live today in honor of World Refugee Day.

As part of its beta launch, three urgent supply needs (as sourced from vetted organizations on the ground) can be met by those wishing to donate. The first site where the platform will go live is located in Greece.

“I feel a mix of excitement and relief,” said cofounder and COO Amanda Levinson. “But also a llittle melancholy because something like this should have been available a long time ago.”

The company, currently at three full-timers along with a mix of contractors and interns, was selected to the Ben FranklinVillage Capital accelerator program and the Inquirer’s Project Liberty incubator.

“Our goal is to shine a light on how people can help — it’s something we hear from people over and over,” Levinson told our sister site Generocity ahead of the launch.

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