About Direct Aid International (DAI)

The Mission:

Direct Aid International is a small, non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian organization dedicated to bringing a sense of normalcy to crisis situations. Our focus is on education and agriculture within the context of direct aid without regard to race, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation, or gender.

Every dollar counts:

We are committed to providing direct aid to people of the world most isolated from other sources of assistance. We provide essential materials, project planning and implementation, and our community-based initiatives help create an atmosphere of self-reliance and sustainability.

The Beginnings

Direct Aid International founder and director Jonathan Hoffman began his humanitarian work in 1999 in war-torn Kosova, working as a volunteer in refugee camps and orphanages with the Balkan Sunflowers. Inspired, Hoffman decided to strike out on his own.

Since 2002, Direct Aid International has raised over a million dollars with 7% operational cost. Construction started on schools number 55 and 56 in August of 2023. DAI is now seeking financial support for schools number 57 and 58.  With that money DAI has built 30 Schools and 1 Library in rural Afghanistan. Serving as an unofficial ambassador for the State of Vermont and the United States, Jonathan has brought awareness of the plight of refugees in Kosova and Afghanistan while introducing our culture and sense of humanity to otherwise secluded regions of the world.

Thousands have been reached in the United States through presentations, with hundreds of thousands reached through media coverage.