Middle East Children's Alliance
The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit humanitarian aid organization that works to protect children’s rights and improve their lives through aid, community projects, education, and empowerment. Its stated work includes support for children and families in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, as well as educational and cultural programming in the United States and internationally. The IRS filing identifies MECA as a Form 990 public charity.
Middle East Children's Alliance at a glance
In short: Middle East Children's Alliance reported $11.5M in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $11,466,409 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +6437.9% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $18,964,212
- +37.3% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $18,269,688
- -11.9% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $461,801
- +49.9% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $13,319,873
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Middle East Children's Alliance
- Contact
Mailing address: 1101 8Th St 100, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 548-0542
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Middle East Children's Alliance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MECA describes work supporting children and families in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, and refugees from Syria. Its filing narrative reports activities in Gaza and the West Bank, including emergency food and water assistance and support for community organizations. MECA also runs educational and cultural programs in the United States and internationally.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2021) to $11.5M (2025). In 2025 it reported $11.5M in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Possibility Labs San Francisco, CA | Humanitarian Aid | $175,385 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
IRS filing data and MECA’s website report different 2024 totals; the figures below are identified by reporting source.
MECA’s website lists 2024 income of $18,673,228, including $1,681,208 in foundation grants, and expenses of $15,566,875. It reports that humanitarian aid accounted for $12,459,033, or 80.04% of expenses.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $18,964,212 | $18,269,688 | $13,319,873 | $11,466,409 | Total only | $461,801 |
| 2024 | $13,815,994 | $20,745,978 | $12,949,877 | $175,385 | 1 | $308,100 |
| 2023 | $5,751,162 | $3,483,995 | $3,750,573 | $2,383,945 | Total only | $52,740 |
| 2022 | $6,306,216 | $3,812,328 | $3,606,644 | $2,345,212 | Total only | $25,244 |
| 2021 | $6,590,068 | $6,895,587 | $3,964,339 | $3,209 | Total only | $56,050 |
| 2020 | $3,053,664 | $3,400,898 | $2,642,612 | $5,447 | Total only | $34,690 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MECA says its mission is to protect the rights and improve the lives of children in the Middle East through aid, empowerment, and education. Its described activities include delivering food, medicine, medical supplies, clothing, books, toys, and school supplies; supporting children’s community programs; awarding university scholarships; and offering educational and cultural programs to increase understanding of children’s lives in the region.
MECA reports making grants and providing professional assistance to community organizations in Palestine and Lebanon. Its filing describes support for organizations running arts, literacy, media, sports, leadership, and psychosocial-support programs for children. Other reported support includes community kitchens, food parcels, water purification and distribution, health and malnutrition clinics, and university scholarships.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data reports one grant totaling $175,385 for 2024, and no grants for 2023 or 2025. No recipient name or grant amount breakdown is provided. Separately, MECA’s 2024–2025 filing narrative says it made grants to 12 community organizations for children’s programming and to four organizations for psychosocial-support projects in Gaza; it does not state grant totals or individual award amounts for these activities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sami Kitmitto as president; Sherry Gendelman as vice president; Howard Levine as treasurer; and Jos Sances as secretary. It lists Osha Neumann, Jumana Muwafi, and Nancy Hormachea as directors; Zeiad Shamrouch as executive director; and Josie Shields Stromsness as program director.
Middle East Children's Alliance is led by Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$65K (2020) → $138K (2025)
Sami Kitmitto
President
Director → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Josie Shields Stromsness
Program Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$102K (2025)
Osha Neumann
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jumana Muwafi
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Hormachea
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Howard Levine
Treasurer
Co-Founder → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jos Sances
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Gendelman
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Michel Shehadeh (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Osha Newman (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Eugene Newport (2020–2021) — Presient
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $138K, to Zeiad Shamrouch (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Middle East Children's Alliance
How much does Middle East Children's Alliance give each year?
Middle East Children's Alliance reported $11.5M in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $175K across 1 grant.
How large is Middle East Children's Alliance?
Middle East Children's Alliance reported $19.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $18.3M.
What does Middle East Children's Alliance fund?
MECA says its mission is to protect the rights and improve the lives of children in the Middle East through aid, empowerment, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Middle East Children's Alliance?
Middle East Children's Alliance has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Middle East Children's Alliance make grants?
MECA describes work supporting children and families in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, and refugees from Syria. Its filing narrative reports activities in Gaza and the West Bank, including emergency food and water assistance and support for community organizations. MECA also runs educational and cultural programs in the United States and internationally.
What is Middle East Children's Alliance's EIN?
Middle East Children's Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3074600. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
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Figures come from Middle East Children's Alliance's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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