Charities working to gather funds to help people in Dorian's path
As Hurricane Dorian crawls over the Northwestern Bahamas toward the U.S. coastline, charities say they are standing by to provide aid to those affected by the now-downgraded category 4 storm.
For those who want to help, what is the best way to do so?
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator have each released lists of charities that have pre-positioned resources on the ground ready to provide food, shelter and medical care to those in Dorian’s path. The two organizations monitor charities to make sure they meet certain accountability and transparency standards.
While it may be tempting to donate to a crowdfunding effort purporting to benefit a noble cause, BBB says don’t bite.
“In previous weather disasters, Give.org has seen crowdfunding posts from individuals claiming to raise funds so they can deliver and distribute water, food and flashlights to impacted areas,” BBB’s Give.org president Art Taylor said. “Even if sincere, such efforts may risk lives, complicate access by professional efforts and potentially divert donations that could be directed in more helpful ways.”
Here are some of the ways to give back:
Charity Navigator’s list of Hurricane Dorian charities:
- All Hands and Hearts Smart Response The charity says it has volunteers and staff in Florida, with an assessment team staged in Georgia.
- American Kidney Fund The fund says it is monitoring how to help the 31,000 dialysis patients in Florida.
- Americares Emergency responders are deployed and ready to provide medical care, the group says.
- Direct Relief Staff was expected to arrive Monday in Grand Bahama and Abaco with medication for 1,000 people. It also has emergency response teams in the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean.
- Good360 The charity says it has begun sending products to the Southeast for nonprofits to use.
- Heart to Heart International A mobile medical unit, two support vehicles and four logistics experts have been deployed to Atlanta. The group also has disaster response team members in North Carolina and Florida.
- International Relief Teams The charity has more than 1,000 disaster health kits prepositioned in Florida.
- Matthew 25: Ministries The charity says it is ready to respond to affected areas.
- SBP The group has deployment teams ready to respond, the group says.
- World Vision Truckloads of relief supplies are being shipped to partner organizations in Daytona Beach and Immokalee, Florida, for distribution, the group says.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance's list:
- American Humane The American Humane Rescue team is prepared to deploy to save animal lives, the group says.
- American Red Cross More than 1,600 volunteers are responding, with 110 emergency response vehicles and more than 99 tractor-trailer loads full of relief supplies, the Red Cross says.
- Direct Relief Emergency medical caches, which include first-aid supplies and medication, are stationed throughout Florida, the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast, according to Direct Relief. It also has an emergency response team on the ground.
- GlobalGiving Donations will supply food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products and shelter, according to the charity.
- Humane Society of the United States The group says it helped evacuate 80 animals out of three Florida shelters Sunday, and 400 injured and orphaned animals from its South Florida Wildlife Center. It is helping with more evacuations in South Carolina Monday.
- Heart to Heart International It has deployed a mobile medical unit, two support vehicles and four logistics experts to Atlanta, with disaster response team members in North Carolina and Florida, the charity says.
- Salvation Army Teams are ready to help provide emergency food, water and shelter in Florida, the Salvation Army says.
- Save the Children Staff in Florida are ready to help support the urgent needs of children and families, according to the charity.
- World Vision Truckloads of relief supplies are being shipped to partner organizations in Daytona Beach and Immokalee, Florida, for distribution, the group says.
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