A photo of a drowned boy on a tourist beach in Turkey has awakened the world to the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, and nonprofits and advocates are urging concerned supporters to help protect other children. This year alone, an estimated 2,500 refugees and migrants have died trying to escape conflict zones by way of the Mediterranean Sea, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency. Three-year-old Aylan Kurdi of Syria, who died after his boat capsized, has now put a face to the situation that the world can’t afford to overlook. Many of the people fleeing to southern Europe hail from countries, such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been overridden with violence and conflict, according to UNCHR. A number of organizations are working to bring much-needed supplies to migrants in need and advocates are urging supporters to, at the very least, learn about the issues to effectively advocate for these underserved groups. DONATE TO CHARITIES Organizations are working to support migrants who are stranded and in need of basic supplies. Save the Children is providing diapers, hygiene kits and any other basics to families affected by the migrant crisis in Europe. _FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED HERE._ Doctors Without Borders is providing medical care and search and rescue support to migrants on the Mediterranean and at reception centers in Europe. In a single day, the group rescued more than 1,600 people on the Mediterranean and provides relief to migrants suffering from dehydration, hypothermia and other issues. _FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP HERE. _ The Italian Red Cross is offering emergency health services for hundreds of migrants at central train stations in Milan, Rome and Ventimiglia where hundreds of migrants have been congregating each day. The Red Cross also recently established a tent city in Rome, which can accommodate about 200 people, and may expand depending on the need and is serving meals around the clock in Milan. _FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ITALIAN RED CROSS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP HERE. _ GET THE FACTS Now that Aylan Kurdi has gripped international headlines, it’s more crucial than ever for supporters to spread the facts about the complicated refugee and migrant crises, aid groups say. Aid groups are urging the media and supporters to learn the distinction between the terms “migrant” and “refugee.” Incorrectly interchanging these terms can have drastic consequences, UNHCR has warned. It can undermine public support for refugees and detract attention from specific legal protections to which refugees are entitled. Here are the facts: REFUGEES: There were 19.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of last year, according to UNHCR. Faced with war and other life-threatening conditions, refugees have no choice but to flee their countries and seek safety nearby. Getting denied asylum could have deadly consequences. MIGRANTS: Migrants choose to relocate from their homes in order to improve their quality of life, whether that’s by finding better job options, education prospects, reuniting with relatives, or other pressing reasons, according to UNHCR. While their journeys may be ardous and dangerous, migrants don’t face direct threats of death or persecution and if they returned home, would receive protections from their government. PROTECT MIGRANTS AT SEA Outraged by the death of 400 people who died in 2013 after two vessels capsized off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, Christopher and Regina Catrambone established the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a group that works to protect people trying to escape from North Africa to Europe by way of the Mediterranean Sea. Equipped with a 130-foot boat, two aircrafts and two inflatable boats, the team of experienced paramedics and rescuers support search efforts by locating vessels in distress. The group’s work is particularly crucial considering that migrants’ risks aren’t in the treacherous waters alone. According to UNHCR, many migrants die from suffocation while being cooped up in a boat’s hold and are often only let out to breathe if they pay the smugglers. _FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MIGRANT OFFSHORE AID STATION AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED HERE._ SHOP ON AMAZON TO HELP MIGRANTS IN CALAIS AND GREECE Thousands of people have fled to the French port town of Calais, hoping to reach England by crossing the Channel. And, the situation came to a head on Tuesday night after a group of migrants forced a Eurostar train traveling from Paris to London to halt its service for hours after storming the tracks, the BBC reported. Greece is facing similar issues as the country rescued more than 2,500 migrants over the course of just three days last month. To help bring necessary supplies to migrants in need in both Calais and Greece, Amazon has organized a “wish list” so supporters can buy the basics. Some of those items include jackets, canned goods and tents. _LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CALAIS AND GREECE AMAZON WISH LIST AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED HERE._ _ALSO ON HUFFPOST:_ -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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