About Us

What is Help Darfur Now?

• HDN is a non-profit organzation geared specifically for students and their families that is dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
• It was started by three New Jersey high school students.
• Currently, HDN has 100 chapters across the US.

How did the group get started?

• In 2005, co-founder Arielle Wisotsky saw an exhibit on the situation in Darfur while visiting the Holocaust museum in Washington, DC and decided to take action.
• She contacted two friends, David and Eric Messinger, and they began sending out fundraising letters hoping to raise $1000 to send to refugee camps.

What has HDN accomplished so far?

• We have greatly exceeded the initial fundraising goal, as HDN has raised over $400,000 for Doctors Without Borders , the International Rescue Committee, the UNHCR and other relief organizations. These organizations supply food, medicine, and other supplies to victims of the genocide in Darfur. HDN has also contributed to the Save Darfur Coalition for awareness raising.
• When our chapters raise money, they send it to Help Darfur Now and we send it to the organizations mentioned above. We have made arrangements with these organizations so that the money is specially earmarked for Darfur.
  

Help Darfur Now in the News
Below is an archive of news articles and photos.

Arielle and Eric speak at "SAVE DARFUR: Rally to Stop Genocide" Full rally recap and enlarged photos with Barack Obama and George Clooney.

In the news

Read the article in the Jerusalem Post from July 26, 2007, by David Dagan, that talks about Arielle and Help Darfur Now.

Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) endorses Help Darfur Now
The students met with Congressman Donald Payne, the ranking member of the Committee on International Affairs, on Monday, February 13, 2006. He commended them on their accomplishments and signed on as an official endorser of Help Darfur Now. The students will be working with the Congressmen to help raise awareness of the Darfur issue.

Montclair rally, April 9th, photos and newspaper article - Read the 4.12. 06 article from the Montclair Times "Rallying for action, not rhetoric: Many hundreds urge end to genocide in Darfur". Special mention is made of Eric Messinger's speech and HDN.  View Photo page

     

Help Darfur Now becomes a member of the Save Darfur Now Coalition in January 2006 - Help Darfur Now is now a signatory of the coalition's unity statement concerning the Darfur crisis. The Save Darfur Coalition is an alliance of over 100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations. View a complete list of coalition members.

Photo1 - Eric, Arielle, and David, founders of Help Darfur Now, Inc. hold a board with information about Darfur. (click photo to enlarge) Photo2- Arielle, and David meet with Congressman Frelinghuysen of New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.

•   Buzzmg.com - Arielle Wisotsky is interviewed for the Buzz Report about Help Darfur Now in January 07.
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• Mayor Renee Green of Livingston, NJ presents a Genocide awareness proclamation to the Livingston Chapter of HDN. See also the article below about the COC Proclamation on Genocide!
  (click to enlarge)
• Livingston Chapter of HDN at September 17th rally in New York City!
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• We were pleased to see the June 2006, Student Forum Newsletter from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum urging students to join Help Darfur Now.
• "Teen activists step up for Darfur" - The NJ Jewish News - 5.04.06 - Read online Article
• "Help Darfur Now" - Spring issue of JVibe magazine. Read online.
• "Basking Ridge teen, friends, reach out to Sudan's needy" - Courier News, 3.07.06. Download article.
• "Area high school students raise $15,000 for Darfur" - The NJ Jewish News 2.23.06 - Read article online.- Read more
• "Students Raise $15,000 for Darfur aid" - Millburn-Short Hills Item, 2.16.06. Download article.
• WCBS-New York TV News "N.J. Teens Decide to 'Help Darfur Now'"
  Morry Alter, from WCBS-TV NY News, interviews Areille, David and Eric, on 1.20.06 - Watch the video and read the article on wcbstv.com - photos
• "Museum Trip Spurs Teens to Action" The Star Ledger, 1.17.06. Read article on nj.com or download article.

•  Oak Hill kids go to Darfur Rally - Members of Newton Mass. chapter travel to DC!

• Arielle Wisotsky and David Messinger with Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey's 11th congressional district. The students met with the congressman on Wednesday, January 5, 2006 to discuss pending legislation in support of Darfur.

• "Student's, congressman, turn focus to Sudan crisis"-Item of Millburn & Short Hills, 12.15.05 - Download article
• "Teenagers form Group to Help Stop Sudanese Genocide" - Bernardsville News, 12.29.05 - Download article
• "Help Darfur Now" gets attention, and praise, from New Zealand blogger, Catez Stevens in article "Three Teens Up to No Bad" - from Allthingstoall.com, 12.15.05  Read blog
• "Carnage in Crayon" - NJ Star-Ledger, 12.12.05  Read article on nj.com
• "Local teens move into action to help those suffering in Darfur" - NJ Jewish News, 12.15.05  Read article on njjewishnews.com
• "Ridge student joins fight against Sudan atrocities" - Bernardsville News, 12.14.05   Download file
• Morristown, NJ Rally - November 2005
  Members of Help Darfur Now join rally to raise awareness about the situation in Darfur. Newspaper article from Morristown Daily Record (see page 2)
  Photos (click to enlarge)