Helping families in winter means four things must reach them before the cold sets in: enough food, shelter that keeps out rain and wind, a safe way to stay warm, and clothes and blankets that protect children and older people. The most useful way to help is to give early through a charity that knows the needs on the ground, because the cold does not wait.
In brief
- A family has four winter priorities: food, shelter, heating, and clothes and blankets.
- Children in poor health face a higher risk of hypothermia and respiratory infections, according to UNICEF.
- Qatar Charity’s 2026-27 winter campaign aims to reach 532,115 beneficiaries in 8 countries.
- Giving early through a trusted charity reaches families before the worst of the cold.
Why do families hit by crises need support in winter?
Because the cold makes every hardship worse. A family living in a tent or a damaged home loses its warmth at night, spends what it has on fuel instead of food, and its children fall ill sooner. UNICEF warns that cold and damp leave children already weakened by undernutrition at risk of hypothermia and serious respiratory infections.
Funding often falls short. In Syria, for example, the United Nations estimated that $112 million was needed for life-saving winter assistance through March 2026, but only $29 million had been secured, a 74 per cent gap, according to UN News.
What are the priorities when helping families in winter?
What protects life comes first, then what eases hardship. These are the four needs Qatar Charity builds its winter work around:
| Need | What reaches the family | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Food baskets with rice, lentils, chickpeas, oil and sugar | The body needs more energy in the cold |
| Shelter | Cold-resistant tents, shelter kits and repaired homes | Keeps rain and wind away from the family |
| Heating | Firewood, heating fuel vouchers and gas cylinder refills | Protects against hypothermia at night |
| Clothes and blankets | Jackets, hats and gloves for children and adults, blankets and mattresses | Insulate the body from the cold ground and air |
What are the best ways of helping families in winter?
The best is to give early through a charity with a presence on the ground, because it buys in bulk from nearby markets and knows which families are hit hardest. Beyond giving money, you can help in other ways:
- Give early: aid that arrives before the coldest weeks does the most good.
- Give what families need: food and heating come before anything else.
- Volunteer: in collection, sorting and awareness drives in Qatar.
- Share the campaign: sending the donation link to family and friends multiplies your impact.
What does Qatar Charity’s 2026-27 winter campaign aim to reach?
The campaign aims to reach 532,115 beneficiaries in 8 countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya. Food security leads with 297,570 beneficiaries, followed by winter aid with 122,330, heating and energy with 59,665, and shelter with 52,550. In Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya the focus is shelter during the rainy season and displacement.
What are Qatar Charity’s winter convoys?
The winter convoys are humanitarian convoys that carry food and warmth supplies to families in 7 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Kenya. The campaign aims for 70 convoys, each costing QAR 123,000. Every convoy carries food baskets plus what suits each country: winter bags in Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia and Kenya, blankets in Bangladesh, fuel vouchers for heaters in Lebanon, and packs of blankets, clothes or heating materials in Afghanistan.
Read also: Securing Warmth in the Hardest Seasons, How Does the Cold Affect Children’s Health? and How Do You Prepare a Displaced Family for Winter?
How can I help families in winter?
Join Qatar Charity’s Winter Heroes campaign, or give towards a whole convoy or part of one, so your gift reaches a family waiting for warmth this season.
Winter, Children and the Qatar Charity Campaign
What threatens children most in winter?
Hypothermia and respiratory infections, especially for children weakened by undernutrition, according to UNICEF.
Is winter aid funding enough in crisis areas?
Not always. In Syria, $29 million of the $112 million needed through March 2026 had been secured, according to UN News.
How many beneficiaries does Qatar Charity's winter campaign aim to reach?
It aims to reach 532,115 beneficiaries in 8 countries in the 2026-27 season.
What is the largest intervention in the winter campaign?
Food security, with 297,570 targeted beneficiaries, 56 per cent of the total.
