International Rescue Committee
Global humanitarian NGO delivering aid, relief, and development to people affected by conflict, disaster, and climate crisis.
IRC – Who We Are (rescue.org)The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, originally as the International Relief Association. It took its current name in 1942 following a merger with the Emergency Rescue Committee. The IRC is registered as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in the United States.
The IRC operates in more than 40 crisis-affected countries, responding to humanitarian emergencies within 72 hours with supplies and expertise. Its programs address health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and empowerment, with a particular focus on the needs of women and girls. It also provides resettlement, asylum, and integration services across the United States and Europe, and explicitly recognizes the climate crisis as a driver of displacement.
In 2024, the IRC reached 36.5 million people in crisis-affected countries with humanitarian services. The organization holds a 4-star rating and 96% score from Charity Navigator, as well as Candid's highest Platinum Seal of Transparency, reflecting its accountability and operational scale.
The IRC's strategic direction focuses on delivering high-quality, cost-effective programs both directly and through local partners, combining research on best practices with input from the communities it serves — making it a prominent and well-regarded actor in the global humanitarian system.