This will be a place I aggregate information about ways to support communities, peoples, and causes, both in response to disasters, and as other issues and resources come to my attention. This is all my personal opinion and in no way connected to my professional gig.
This first post is written in the context of the twin hurricane disasters in the U.S. There are other disasters around the world, and subsequent posts will talk about some of those.
Thinking about giving in times of disaster
One of the things to keep in mind is that while there is a very real human impulse to give at the moment a disaster strikes, where money is really most needed is during the long-term recovery process. If you can give both during and after a disaster, that is great. If you can only give once, you might want to think about holding off and seeing where money is most needed during the rebuild phase.
Also - don't send clothes, toys, food, etc. unless a specific, credible aid agency has specifically requested them. Seriously. Disaster sites are often overwhelmed with clothes, shoes, toys that are used, dirty and just not needed.
Cash is what is most needed.
Places to consider giving in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma - US 2017
- Save the Children - I have been consistently impressed with their work in disasters. They take a long-term view to their work; both responding immediately, helping to set up child-safe and appropriate spaces for children in shelters, and then doing long-term recovery work with child centers and early education centers, helping them with restarting operations, as well as providing trauma-informed curricula and supports to help children deal with the effects of having been in a disaster.
- Southern Baptist Disaster Relief - Particularly for these southern-US disasters, SBDR has prepositioned crews and supplies that will be effective in immediate recovery and response, and also provide some longer-term clean up.
- The Hurricane Relief Fund at The Greater Houston Community Foundation - They are holding the long-term recovery fund for the Greater Houston area. Community Foundations generally have good track records of getting community voices engaged in the decisions around this kind of funding, and being accountable to donors.
- The Harvey and Irma funds at The Center for Disaster Philanthropy - CDP is stewarding funds that will focus on long-term recovery from both storms. The Irma fund is of particular note as it will address the entire area impacted by Irma, including non-US sites.
- Oxfam - I like Oxfam's approach because they work through local partners and build capacity locally.
- Partners in Health - responding both in Haiti and in Mexico after the earthquake.
- Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services - working to deal with the environmental mess left by Harvey
- How to Donate Money and Other Aid to Communities of Color in Houston - Colorlines' list of charities and organizations working to keep immigrant, Black, Latinx and other populations safe after Hurricane Harvey
- Ways to get money to marginalized communities - Very thoughtful discussion of how marginalized communities are not always well served by mainstream NGOs.
- SBP - great resources for homeowners about preparing for and dealing with clean-up, insurance, FEMA, etc. after a disaster. SBP also does direct service, and you can donate to help their work throughout the US.
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