How To Give Effectively After Any Disaster
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Editor's Note: This post was originally published on The Salvation Army's "Expect Change" blog. To access the original article, please click HERE or to read more news and stories on the "Expect Change" site, please click HERE.
by Kathy Lovin
At The Salvation Army, we LOVE our donors. They’ve helped us feed hungry people, provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation for people struggling with addiction, house homeless families, serve disaster first responders and survivors, and so much more.
The May 21, 2013 Los Angeles Times tells about the outpouring of donated goods being dropped of at a Moore, Oklahoma church. So much in fact, that local radio stations have asked people to slow it down and think twice about what they’re giving.
We know that people want to give, so that’s why we’ve worked hard over the last few years to make a case for why financial giving during disasters is most efficient and effective. And our donors have responded generously.
Here’s the case:
First of all, financial gifts allow us to be flexible. On day one of a disaster relief effort, we may need water and sunscreen for the first responders but by day three, we may need hot dog buns and clean up kits for the survivors. The only way to meet the changing requirements of first responders and survivors is to have the ability to purchase exactly what’s needed, when it’s needed.
Secondly, disaster areas are chaotic in many ways. After an incident that caused widespread devastation, roads and infrastructure can be badly damaged or cordoned off by the authorities, making it difficult – if not impossible – to send in trucks laden with supplies. Floods wash out roads; earthquakes topple buildings; hurricanes and tornadoes bring down power lines, and that’s just the beginning. And when you factor in the cost of trucking supplies long distance, it becomes far more cost effective to buy close to the incident.
Thirdly, when we buy locally we support the economy in the impact zone and provide them with financial resources they’ll need to rebuild and recover. This is critical! The stores closest to the disaster site will struggle, especially if customers have limited access because of infrastructure damage. We do a lot of good when we buy locally and only financial gifts allow us to do that.
And lastly – overseas disasters are very challenging to support state-side with anything other than financial gifts. I’ve already mentioned the cost of shipping over land, but that cost multiplies significantly when the shipment is taken by plane or boat. And, another factor that makes it hard to take supplies overseas is the high cost of import tariffs. Many countries make it cost-prohibitive to bring in goods, so the only reasonable option is to buy in-country.
You know we love you and your gently-used furniture, appliances, household goods, clothing and accessories! They are ALWAYS in need at our Family Stores to replenish supplies all year-round, but they’re not typically accepted specifically in relief of disasters.
So please do not give unsolicited material goods during a disaster. If you have something to give that you think will be effective in our disaster response effort, please ask first: feel free to contact me with any questions you have.
During any disaster, you can make a financial gift by calling 1 800 SAL ARMY or visiting us online at salvationarmyusa.org. Thank you very much!
Here’s a video – it’s just over one minute long – that helps explain why financial gifts are best: