In the wake of Super Hyphoon Haiyan's attack on the Phillipines, a
lot of information has been going around about how to help those in
need. This is a very good thing, especially in an age where some
people think the whole world has gone down the tubes. But what can
you do to help with disaster relief? You might not be a doctor or a
builder or anything, but there are things you can do. What can you do
to ensure the aid gets where it needs to be? What efforts would
actually hinder progress?
The needs vary from event to event, but here are some ideas about how
to make your gifts as useful as possible.
When it comes to material goods, most things are fine if they are being asked for. Clothing, shoes,
food items, bottled water and even toys might be helpful for specific
needs. However, these things really shouldn't be donated if they
aren't being asked for because each shipment means someone has to
sort through them, store them and figure out what goes where and
when. If a shipment is going to a foreign country it also has to go
through that country's version of Customs, which can be very
time-consuming. The efforts are appreciated, but there's often so
much to do “on the ground” that the agencies can't spare the time
and manpower.
If you want to get rid of your old stuff and help out at the same
time, you can help organize a fundraiser-say, a yard sale-and give
the proceeds to a relief agency. You could also donate those items to
Goodwill and the local food bank to help in your own community.
Keeping these stocked can go a long way in making sure your own
community is prepared if something were to happen. Plus, sometimes
local agencies will partner with national ones to take on the bigger
“projects”.
It's also not uncommon for relief groups to get an influx of
medication and medical supplies. I can see the logic behind sending
these things, especially when it comes to pain medication and first
aid. However, this isn't a good idea either because a) most of the
medications sent will have to be thrown away or burned, and b)
first-responders usually have more than enough to meet the
community's needs. They will work directly with suppliers or
charities such as the American Red Cross if they do need
anything. This also goes for personnel such as doctors and nurses.
If you have skills you want to contribute, do so as part of an
organized effort. It's one thing if the disaster happened close to
you, but you'll need to go with an established relief agency if you
want to help out overseas. If your local hospital has a blood drive,
donate that way. Even if nothing devastating has happened, it helps
them tremendously to have a good supply on hand.
Bottom line- When in doubt, send cash. If specific items are
needed, they will be asked for. Otherwise, give money. Donating funds
to relief agencies and other charities directly involved in helping
disaster victims will ensure that the people get whatever it is that
they need and in a timely manner. Think about it this way-when they
buy supplies, aid workers are not only meeting the people's immediate
needs; they're supporting local businesses. Win-Win.
For more information about disaster preparation and aid, visit http://www.fema.gov/state-offices-and-agencies-emergency-management.
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