Donation Best Practices
Financial Contributions
Cash donations help to avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing, transporting and distributing donated goods, and relief agencies can use cash to meet survivors’ specific needs more quickly. Check to see if your company has matching gifts and be sure to follow their requirements.
Donate through an Experienced Disaster Relief Organization
Relief agencies prefer the versatility of cash donations; however, some have the infrastructure in place to store and distribute donated goods. To prevent waste, donations of goods should be made only to agencies that have requested specific items.
Confirm the Need before Collecting
Donors should be wary of anyone who claims that “everything is needed.” Many groups have been disappointed that their efforts and the goods they collected were not appreciated. A community hit by a disaster, however, does not have the time, manpower or money to dispose of unneeded donations. Get precise information and confirm the need before collecting any donated goods.