Friday, May 24, 2013

What to send & not to send after a distaster strikes

On how stuff works there is Top 10 List of Worst things to Send after a Disaster:
  • Used Clothes
  • Shoes
  • Blankets
  • Teddy Bears
  • Medicine
  • Pet Supplies
  • Mixed Items in a Care Package
  • Bottled Water & Canned Food
  • Your Unsolicited Help
  • Money to the Wrong People
The point of the article (from the author):  
The most important thing I learned writing this article is the danger of being half-right. We are absolutely right to assume that supplies like extra clothes, blankets and nonperishable food are critical following a natural disaster. But we are wrong to think that the best way to get those goods to the victims of a disaster is by donating them ourselves. In fact, by taking the great initiative to collect, pack and ship donations to a disaster area, we are making life much more difficult for the overwhelmed relief workers and volunteers on the ground.

There is a hopeful note for those who really want to donate physical goods rather than send money. Go to the National Donations Management Network, a searchable online database of nonprofit organizations that have posted a specific and urgent need for disaster supplies. If you own a business, this is a great way to connect with, say, AmeriCorps volunteers in New York and send them a dozen 220-volt commercial heaters or 100 Tyvek suits for mold remediation. Keep up the good work!
Where to help?

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