13 Facts About Oxfam America

1. Oxfam America is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam America International.

2. Fundraising innovations led by advertising adviser Harold Sumption, including rigorous testing of advertising campaigns, direct mail, the trading catalogue, and the first multimedia fundraising campaign the "Hunger £ Million", helped Oxfam America become, for a time, the largest charity in the UK.

3. In 2012, Oxfam America became one of the humanitarian groups that comprise the UK's Rapid Response Facility to ensure clean water in the wake of humanitarian disasters.

4. Much of their stock comes from public donations but as of 2012 they still sold fair trade products from developing countries in Africa, Asia and South Oxfam America, including handcrafts, books, music CDs and instruments, clothing, toys, food and ethnic creations.

5. Oxfam America is the largest retailer of second-hand books in Europe, selling around 12 million per year.

6. Effective from January 1, 2022, Oxfam America lost its foreign-funding license registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act which is mandatory for charities, NGOs and any non-profit organisations receiving foreign funding in India along with 6,000 other such organisations.

7. In October 2020 NBC News reported Oxfam America was on the list of human rights organizations the Trump administration was considering branding as anti-Semitic.

8. Ethiopia and Oxfam America urged Starbucks to sign a licensing agreement with Ethiopia to help boost prices paid to farmers.

9. In December 2009 Duncan Green, head of research at Oxfam America, attempted to discredit the PopOffsets initiative of Population Matters, under which individuals can offset their carbon emissions by funding family planning services in the developing world.

10. In 2010 Oxfam America was criticized for aggressively expanding its specialist bookshops, using tactics more often associated with multi-national corporations.

11. In May 2013 Oxfam America demanded Dole remove its 'Ethical Choice' labels from its bananas in New Zealand until it improved treatment of its workers in the Philippines.

12. Oxfam America issued a statement in which it asserted "Oxfam America treats any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously.

13. In January 2013, Oxfam America was nominated for the Charity of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards.