They escaped war and persecution but they can't escape the cold

Imagine being forced to flee everything you've known, just to stay alive. You escape with only the clothes on your back.

Now imagine, after a long journey, you must face winter in a refugee camp. How will you keep the bitter cold out of your tent? Can your children go another day without a coat or gloves? Will you buy fuel to keep your shelter warm, or medicine for the baby — because you can't afford both.

For those living in informal settlements in places like Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, "home" is often a flimsy, makeshift shelter that offers little protection from snow, icy rain and below-freezing temperatures. With no way to earn income, and savings depleted long ago, many cannot afford food or heating fuel.

This winter is already harsher than most with storms bringing freezing rain, wind and snow that has already flooded refugee settlements and destroyed their makeshift shelters.

The UN Refugee Agency is on the ground providing protection, shelter, stoves, thermal blankets, healthcare and more.

Please stand with USA for UNHCR to support humanitarian relief for refugees struggling to survive winter.