Gaza Grocer FAQ
Why is Gaza Grocer needed?
While the levels of famine in Gaza are critical now, Israel has a long history of blocking food shipments into Gaza (often seemingly at random and with little or no justification, e.g. pasta or chocolate). The most straightforward aim of this project is to provide donations to people working on relief efforts for Gaza, but it is also intended to highlight the longstanding extreme food insecurity imposed on Palestinians in Gaza by Israel.
How do you set prices?
Print prices are meant to be reflective of the extreme food scarcity and inflated cost for basic needs facing people in Gaza. These prices are roughly estimated from news sources, but in practice the cost and availability of food varies widely. At the time of this writing, many of the food items depicted here are not available at all due to Israel’s multi-month blockade of all aid into Gaza (including not only food but medicine and shelter supplies). I also include shirts at a flat rate, to give people more opportunities to support the project.
Where do funds from this project go?
After printing and labor costs, all proceeds go to the beneficiary or beneficiaries indicated on the Gaza Grocer storefront page. Beneficiaries may change month-to-month to reflect shifting conditions and needs— Gaza Grocer prioritizes donations to Palestinian-led grassroots efforts.
Why don’t you just donate to [big name org here]?
There are many efforts around the world trying to provide relief to Gaza at this time, and they all need resources— but the bigger the organization is, the more likely they are to be well-known and receiving attention. I do whatever research I can to help spread funds and awareness to smaller groups, in addition to larger and better resourced orgs.