How to Help Effectively

As a compassionate nation of individuals wanting to help others in distress or need we often provide support early on and onngoing in times of a disaster. Over the past week I have seen passionate pleas for support to Haiti after the recent earthquake. One plea which causes great concern is the one to "send stuff" as soon as possible. After 6 years having responsibility for the coordinated local response by Red Cross in my community I can tell you DON'T SEND STUFF! In times of disaster when goods are sent which are not effectively coordinated in the relief efforts, these items are often cast aside or become damaged or lost because they are unsolicited and therefore cannot be disseminated to those who may need them.

I know we think well, if someone has lost everything, if I send them my used shoes or clothes at least they will have something. People who have experienced a life changing event such as an earthquake where they lose family, friends and their homes or businesses certainly should be thankful for everything they receive and they are. But, what we send and how we help can be productive or non-productive to the recovery efforts.

If you want to make the biggest difference you can, search for the list of charitable organizations providing relief in Haiti. Foremost in my mind is The Red Cross. Make contact with this or another charitable organization and ASK what is needed? In most cases the answer is CASH donations. The inkind donations will come primarily from the corporate contributions solicited by the relief agencies involved in the response. The inkind donations will then most likely be NEW and fully serviceable. Your cash donations can do a lot more than your STUFF. A cash donation allows the response and recovery agencies to purchase exactly what is needed in the size and quantity. It also purchases NEW items which are applicable and durable. Finally, your cash donation helps to stimulate the local economy which has been devastated by the disaster. If a particular item required by the relief effort is available in the area of the disaster, relief organizations will purchase locally to assist in support for the already devastated local economy. These donated dollars can help to get that community back on it's feet again.

So, before you make a donation to Haiti, or donation to any charitable cause, please think before you donate. Call and ask what is needed and how you can best help before you donate. That equates to your daily donations to local or national charities as well. If you want to make the greatest impact for a charitable cause which is near and dear to your heart, please consider one of these options...call the charity and ask how you can make the greatest impact for the cause or make a cash contribution which can be used to purchase what is specifically needed. The donation of a washer and dryer which may only need a thermostat or belt to work is fine but when an organization has to pay to have a donation be usable for the clients you're not doing the organization a service. You are in fact reducing their ability to help others because they are serving donations not clients. In the case of Haiti, donors who send their unsolicited shoes, clothing or food supplies should not be horrified if new reports at a later date that stockpiles of donations are being bulldozed into a landfill in Haiti because they could not be distributed, were too many to handle or were destroyed or damaged before they could be given to the families in need.

Operation Homefront Hampton Roads military families are seeing their service members deploy in response to the Earthquake in Haiti. Although the disaster in Haiti means your support is needed there, these families here on the homefront continue to need your help as well. As they see their service members deploy to Haiti for the relief efforts or to Iraq and Afghanistan, or to other locations around the world, please remember to support their needs and the needs of our wounded warriors returning home. Please visit www.operationhomefront.net/hamptonroads to see how you can help.