Facebook has about 1.15 billion users, a massive, global audience that the social network hopes to use as a force for good. On April 27, Facebook announced that it will match every dollar donated through the site to help fund earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.
As of the day of the announcement, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake had killed over 4,000 people, and injured thousands more in Nepal, parts of India, and Mount Everest.
All donations made through Facebook are going directly to the International Medical Corps (IMC). According to the non-profit’s website, IMC has had its emergency response team on the ground since April 25, when the quake first struck. Over the past few days, they’ve been assessing the damage, delivering vital medicines and supplies, and providing emergency care to survivors.
Facebook is matching up to $2 million in donations, which will go to a number of local relief organizations.
In addition to providing funds for relief efforts, Facebook is also helping friends and family find out the status of their loved ones who were in the affected areas at the time of the quake. The social network’s “Safety Check” app identifies users based on their location, and alerts them if they’re in an affected area. These users can then use the app to notify their friends and family through Facebook if they’re safe.
“Millions of people have been marked safe and tens of millions of people were notified that someone they know has been marked safe. Read more information on Safety Check here,” Facebook said in a statement. “During times of crisis, we have seen people turn to Facebook to learn about what’s happening, share their experiences and support one another. By offering tools to help people donate to support those in the affected areas and check on loved ones, we’re hopeful that together we can promote safety and help urgent resources reach those who need them.”
