Rotary Action Toolkit – ShelterBox Information

ShelterBox is made up of people who believe in shelter as a human right – that shelter from the chaos of disaster and conflict is vital.  

When people are plunged into crisis, normality is suspended. But good, quality shelter can cut through the chaos. This is why we provide the resources that enable people to rebuild homes and transform their lives.

We do things differently. We were born different. We started as a Rotary Club project in Cornwall, UK and have grown to make a big impact across the world. We don’t follow the crowd – we’ve carved our own path that leads straight to the families we support.

Our pledge

We are impatient to see a world where no family is left without shelter when disaster strikes. This drives us to transform the support of our donors, fundraisers and volunteers into the hope and power of families all over the world – the power to rebuild homes, lives and communities.

Our impatience leads to determination. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that no family goes without shelter.

What we do

We put families first. The commitment of our supporters enables us to provide emergency shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by conflict and disaster.

We don’t believe that one size fits all. We work hard to understand the impact of each emergency and the need this creates within individual communities.

The equipment and support we provide, whatever shape it takes, gives people the hope and the power to transform their own lives.

We test and evaluate all of the aid we provide by talking to, and learning from, the families who use it. This fuels us to be innovative and to continue evolving.

Stay updated

Interested in staying up to date with the latest ShelterBox operations updates? Tune in live every Tuesday at 2:30pm UTC on our Faceboook channel for the latest info. Check it out here.

Putting families first

We’re determined to see a world where no family goes without shelter when disaster strikes – it’s the sole reason we exist.

Every decision we make is based on the people we help, on transforming lives, on rebuilding hope.

Embracing change

We’re not scared of change; we embrace it, nurture it, encourage it. Every disaster is different and so is every response.

We keep evolving to make sure we get the exact support families need in the best possible way.

Going the extra mile

We are dynamic. We work with other organisations, Rotarians, global partners and, most importantly, the people we help, to develop our expertise.

We don’t just use our past experience to guide our future, but we keep learning, which is why we are experts in shelter.

Treading our own path

We’ve always been different, but that’s a good thing. We step out of the mainstream, muddy our boots and help the hard to reach communities who need our help.

Building relationships

We have strong bonds, just like the families we help. ShelterBox is made up of dedicated staff, supporters and volunteers.

Together, we bring the knowledge, vitality and conviction to go further – faster.

Find out more about our global strategy and check out our annual reports here.

2000 – ShelterBox was founded in Cornwall UK, by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard. 

2001 – The first consignment of 143 ShelterBoxes was sent to India, following an earthquake in Gujarat.

2004 – ShelterBox supported families in Indonesia after the Boxing Day Tsunami, and introduced ShelterBox Volunteer Response teams.

2010 – ShelterBox launched our biggest response to date following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

2012 – We began to support families fleeing conflict in Syria. ShelterBox became Rotary International’s project partner in Disaster Relief.

2013 – ShelterBox deployed aid to help families following Typhoon Haiyan in The Philippines.

2015 – ShelterBox supported communities affected by the Nepal earthquake, and reached the milestone of supporting 1 million people.

2017 – Our response teams supported families in The Caribbean after Hurricane Irma, and communities in Bangladesh during the Rohingya crisis.

2018 – ShelterBox Operations Philippines was established with the assistance of local Rotarians.

2019 – We provided support to families in Malawi following devastating flooding, and renewed our partnership agreement with Rotary International for another three years.

2020 – In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, we adapted our work to keep those we work with safe, and thanks to our amazing partners, we were still able to 200,000 people, like those who lost their homes to Cyclone Harold in Vanuatu.

2021 – ShelterBox reached the milestone of support 2 million people around the world, and we marked the tragic 10 year anniversary of the Syrian conflict.