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THE BEST WAY TO HELP VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA
AIP, a leading charity watchdog that issues letter grade (A to F) ratings of nonprofit groups, identifies the following relief charities, which are providing aid to the victims. These charities have received an “A” or “B” grade based on the portion of their budget going to program services and their fundraising efficiency. · American Red Cross (A-) · AmeriCares (B) · America's Second Harvest (B+) · Church World Service (A-) · Food for the Hungry (B) · International Rescue Committee (A+) · MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger (A+) · Northwest Medical Teams International (B) · Salvation Army (A) · Save the Children (A) · World Concern (B) · World Vision (B+)
1) A charity should spend at least 60% of its budget on program services. Contact your favorite charities to find out if they provide the specific types of aid that you would like to fund, e.g., emergency relief, health care, infrastructure development, education, etc. DONORS BEWARE Tips for Making the Most of Your Donation:
· Do not assume that a claimed celebrity endorsement is real or that the celebrity has adequately scrutinized the charity. · Give with check or credit card instead of cash. There is little assurance that coin or currency donations will actually go to the intended beneficiary. · Be cautious about giving to individual disaster victims that show up on covers of magazines or on television. Unpublicized victims may be more in need than publicized victims who are often flooded with gifts. · Be cautious about giving in response to a telemarketing call. If you decide to donate, make sure you have reviewed all the information from the charity and ask what percentage of your contribution will fund the pertinent programs. For more tips on giving click here. SEND CASH, NOT GOODS The next link is from our MEP I want to say that means master emergency planner...not many people have that degree and he knows his stuff...Here it is as follows:
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The devastation and sheer scale of the human suffering arising across the Gulf Coast as a result of Hurricane Katrina is mind numbing. Hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, perhaps for months. Hundreds of deaths and injuries. An area of destruction extending from Louisiana to Pensacola and more than a hundred miles inland.
We all want to help, and to do something for those in need.
The need right now is for basic necessities - prepared meals, potable water, and shelter. The combined efforts of government and non-governmental agencies are currently focused on saving and sustaining lives. Recovery and re-entry will follow when the infrastructure is able to support it. Right now, the greatest need by ALL voluntary agencies is for bottled water, with a basic unit of measure of Tractor Trailer load, ice (same unit of measure) or cash. While many people want to help by contributing toys, clothes, or other household items,. these types of donations at this stage are more hindrance to agencies than any help.
Below is some information from FEMA and the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) concerning how to help.
Thanks for your desire to help, and for your willingness to contribute however you are able.
Cash Sought To Help Hurricane Victims, Volunteers Should Not Self-Dispatch http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Voluntary organizations are seeking cash donations to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Gulf Coast states, according to Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. But, volunteers should not report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a voluntary agency. “Cash donations are especially helpful to victims,” Brown said. “They allow volunteer agencies to issue cash vouchers to victims so they can meet their needs. Cash donations also allow agencies to avoid the labor-intensive need to store, sort, pack and distribute donated goods. Donated money prevents, too, the prohibitive cost of air or sea transportation that donated goods require.” “We’re grateful for the outpouring of support already,” Brown said. “But it’s important that volunteer response is coordinated by the professionals who can direct volunteers with the appropriate skills to the hardest-hit areas where they are needed most. Self-dispatched volunteers and especially sightseers can put themselves and others in harm’s way and hamper rescue efforts.” Here is a list of phone numbers set up solely for cash donations and/or volunteers. Donate cash to: American Red Cross Operation Blessing America’s Second Harvest Donate Cash to and Volunteer with: Adventist Community Services Catholic Charities, USA Christian Disaster Response Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Church World Service Convoy of Hope Lutheran Disaster Response Mennonite Disaster Service Nazarene Disaster Response Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Salvation Army Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief United Methodist Committee on Relief For further information: visit the website for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at: http://www.nvoad.org/. |
The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) announces its top-rated twelve charities currently offering relief services to the victims of Hurricanes Katrina in the Southeast U.S. The Gulf coast, including New Orleans, Biloxi and Mobile have experienced devastation due to flooding and strong winds up to 140 mph in some areas. 
These charities perform favorably in relation to AIP’s benchmarks: 
· Give to newly created charities only if you have reliable third-party verification of their credibility and/or have knowledge of and trust the officers and directors of the new group. 
The best way to help is by sending a check. Cash donations enable charities to buy the most needed types of food, medicine, clothing, shelter materials and other supplies. By buying relief products locally or regionally, charities can reduce shipping costs and more rapidly deliver assistance. Before sending any goods, first contact the charity to find out if they are appropriate and if it will be cost effective to distribute them. For example, after the tsunami, boxes of donated winter coats, scarves and fuzzy hats, completely useless items in tsunami stricken nations with tropical climates, were sent to these nations.