Christmas gift donation and renewed support for the Norwegian Refugee Council

Omega 365 continues the tradition of supporting charitable causes with a Christmas donation on behalf of the team. This year, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) will receive the second part of a NOK 1 million donation, and in 2024, we will expand our support for the organization.

“In 2022, Omega 365 contributed NOK 1 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council on behalf of our global team, extending this support over a two-year period. We are now pleased to donate the remaining NOK 500,000, but we also see clearly that there is still much work to be done,” says Corporate Communications Manager, Lauren McPherson Simonsen. 

"Moving into 2024, we are proud to continue our commitment to the Norwegian Refugee Council with a move to monthly contributions of 50,000 NOK. We hope this sustained support, totaling 600,000 NOK annually, will enhance financial predictability and assist this impressive organization to create the most positive impact possible, even in seemingly insurmountable situations.” 

Stephanie Alvarez, Corporate Partnerships Adviser at the NRC is thankful that Omega 365 chooses to lend its support to the Norwegian Refugee Council. The humanitarian organization focuses on aiding refugees and internally displaced persons, providing emergency relief, shelter, education, and legal assistance in response to conflicts and disasters. Recently, the situation in Ukraina as well as the crisis in Gaza has cast a spotlight on the urgent necessity for humanitarian assistance. 

“Our employees and consultants have been steadfast in their support of our partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council and the organization’s vital work in vulnerable areas. NRC’s dedication to humanitarian causes and responsible use of contributions ensures a meaningful impact for refugee families. This collective gift and our ongoing support in 2024 reflect our values and are heartfelt gestures of care and solidarity to those facing adversity from all of us in Omega,” explains Simonsen. 

Corporate Communications Manager, Lauren McPherson Simonsen, looks forward to continuing Omega 365's commitment to the Norwegian Refugee Council in 2024.

In addition, the NRC's work in Ukraine remains a key focus area for Omega 365's support.  

“With Omega 365's contribution, we have been able to provide life-saving assistance in Ukraine, including food and essential relief items to those most vulnerable. In a world experiencing increasing conflicts, the continuation of support is essential. It enables us to broaden our efforts and effectively respond to these challenging situations,” Stephanie Alvarez states in a thank you letter to Omega 365. 

You can find more information about the situation in Ukraine, Gaza, and NRC’s response on their webpage here.

Read the thank you letter from NRC to the Omega 365 team below!  

Thank you letter from NRC

Dear Omega 365 Team,  

On behalf of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), we’d like to thank you for your generous support to the thousands of people in Ukraine forced to flee since 2022. As the war continues in its second year, and winter is setting in, humanitarian needs continue. 

In 2023, thanks to your support, NRC has:  

• Provided life-saving assistance, such as food and basic relief items, to the most vulnerable people in Ukraine’s hotspots and hard-to-reach areas.  
• Assisted thousands of displaced people with legal aid, shelter, and cash.  
• Provided stoves, generators, shelter repairs and cash during the cold months when needs grow.
• Worked in neighboring countries to assist refugees and host communities.  

Still, the continued challenges are big. For over 600 days, an unyielding barrage of shelling has left an estimated 1.4 million homes in ruin or disrepair. Thousands of families have been forced to flee or have been left to shelter in damaged buildings lacking basic services.  

As Jan Egeland, NRC’s secretary general says, “The war in Ukraine has created a refugee crisis on a scale we have not seen in Europe since the Second World War. At the same time, the crisis triggered enormous engagement and generosity”.  

Thank you for making this work possible. We could not do the work we do without you.  

The Future:  

As 2024 draws near, NRC, along with partners like you, are responding to new crises. Our Palestine office is currently responding to the increasingly dire situation in Gaza. 

NRC teams in Gaza are currently delivering emergency cash assistance for people to purchase their essential needs. We are closely monitoring the security situation and stand ready to provide additional help, including:  

• shelter  
• psychological first aid for children  
• water, hygiene, and sanitation supplies  

Apart from calling for an immediate sustained ceasefire, NRC has also been making international pleas for increased access to humanitarian aid for the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza, of which half are children. “Neither hostages nor access to humanitarian relief should ever become bargaining chips in political or military negotiations. It sets a dangerous precedent. Civilians must never be subjected to arbitrary detention or indiscriminate bombardment. Humanitarian aid should never be conditioned on political or strategic objectives” says Jan Egeland.  

As we have done for the last 77 years, NRC will continue to go and help where we are needed the most. We hope that we can continue to count on your support and partnership in this endeavor.  

Yours sincerely,  

Stephanie Alvarez,  

Corporate Partnerships Adviser