Aleppo, Syria; a once thriving "economic hub", home to a couple of million people, has recently become the bloodshed home to only a couple hundred thousand residents now, due to death and devastation. If you are someone that follows social media, then there is no doubt that you have seen videos being shared of bloodied children, people being pulled out of rubble and hospitals attempting to provide the best care they can to the few citizens left. Per CNN “President Bashar Assad’s forces bombarded a major supply artery into the city” starting the fight on this small and helpless town. Casualties have been estimated to around a quarter-million in Syria and in just 80 days of fighting 6,000 civilians have died; parents and children alike. Blood is all the same here and with such devastation across the board, we need to bring attention to it instead of ignoring it, like so many of us do daily.

To start a simple knowledge of a complex issue is as follows: This war is not new, it has been ongoing for six long years now. Attacks on Aleppo are being carried out by president Assad’s regime to who the Syrian people of Aleppo began an uproar against. The city was divided into two sections: the government and the other being run by the rebels wishing to overthrow the government. Both sides have carried attacks on the other, but the city of Aleppo has shown to suffer superiorly. Airstrikes were placed upon the city in September and civilians have been asked to evacuate the area; some have listened while others have not. And as of late Aleppo was struck while on a cease-fire to allow many to evacuate, leaving many, including children wounded and killed unexpectedly. In all there have been lives lost on all sides and from outsiders looking in it seems, as there will be no winners to this war.

As Americans, we tend to forget and neglect issues like this especially when they do not directly affect our day-to-day lives. But as this case increases in severity and is getting much needed news and media coverage, there are some easy steps that we can take to support the many innocent and hurt Aleppo citizens. Donate! There are 13 organizations that have received good reviews and want to provide help to those in need out there that I will list below. Another easy step that can help is education, being educated on the situation at hand and educating others around can help us be more aware of the things we can do given our location and available resources. And lastly donations, when crisis occurs donations can always be useful if you have the means to do so, and even if you do not thinking about the situation others are in over there compared to a lot of us, a few dollars do not seem to matter. Giving help in any way is better than giving nothing at all.

SO HERE THIS IS MY HELPING START! Bringing attention to the issue, making clothing donations, and giving some of my money in order to help bring resources to the area. Although it may not be much it is a start and the more people start to see any help, no matter how small or grandiose, as being help then the better we can help Aleppo and any countries where innocent people may be caught in the crossfire.

Top donation organizations: American Refugee Committee, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Global Hope Network International, GlobalGiving, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief USA, Mercy-USA for Aid and Development, Oxfam America, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Save the Children, and United States Fund for UNICEF