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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