PSA: About helping people in a disaster

tilden2

This is an open letter to anyone who ever wanted to help someone out after a disaster.  I work for a food bank in San Francisco and wanted to provide some tips about the best ways to help out. 

First, if you want to do the most you can for the largest number of people, find a reputable charity and give them cash.  Charities can do a lot more with a dollar than an individual can, because they are able to leverage their ability to buy things that people need.  Example: if you take $1 to Safeway, you'll be able to buy one package of ramen.  If you give that $1 to the food bank, we can put it together with all the other gifts that we receive and that $1 can be turned into $6 worth of food.

Second, many charities like the Red Cross would prefer that you not send items like blankets, clothing, supplies, etc. for the same reasons as above.  Cash is much more versatile and can be used more efficiently than a pile of blankets.  I know it feels good to send that pile of blankets, but you can help more people with $10 than you can with 10 blankets.

Third, it takes a lot less time to get your donation to the people who need it most if you give cash rather than stuff.  Cash is available to the charity almost instantaneously, once you click Submit on that donation page.  We can then turn it around in the fastest way possible to provide the supplies that are most needed.

I encourage everyone who wants to help to visit www.charitynavigator.org.  They have lists of the best charities to give to, which ones to avoid and tips for responsible giving at any time of the year, not just in response to a disaster.  Believe me, you will be helping more people than you know when you donate to a reputable charity and allow them to do what they do best. 

StumpyG

Thank you! Great info.

sm23

Great info. Thanks for sharing.

abvernon

This is great information. Thanks, K!

patty&nick

Thank you! This is very helpful.

MadameD517

Thanks for sharing Tilden!