Andrea (R) and Estefania (L) show off their faces, painted by another child playing in Save the Children's Safe Space in Ramona.

When major disasters strike the U.S., Save the Children responds to the needs of children and families.

In each emergency response, Save the Children structures its programs to respond to community needs. However, there are several areas on which we often focus our work:

• Creating Safe Spaces—safe, designated areas where children can play, socialize and begin to recover—in shelters and other gathering places, like disaster assistance centers.
• Helping children and their caregivers reestablish a sense of safety and normalcy through our menu of disaster recovery and resilience-building programs. These programs also help children and caregivers build the skills to cope with their experiences.
• Supporting organizations that children and families depend on, like child care and after-school programs, as they recover from the disaster or expand their services to additional affected children.
• Working with families living in temporary housing sites to create protective environments for children and improve access to services.

Read more about these programs by clicking on the links above.

Donate to Save the Children's U.S. Emergencies Fund