How to help others without getting hurt...
The Texas floods inspired me to send you some tips for giving to charities when disaster strikes. I hope you find helpful and valuable...
There is no doubt, the images of the children who died at Camp Mystic and are still missing is heartbreaking. For most of us, our knee-jerk reaction when disaster strikes is to find a way to help. Online searches for "how to help Texas flood victims" is off the charts. There are many awesome organizations doing great work, but unfortunately there are some bad actors that take advantage of our vulnerability by creating fake non-profits.
How To Discern Authenticity
Fortunately, there are several ways to determine if a charitable organization is legitimate so you're confident your support for disaster relief goes where intended. If you want to donate money, there are great tools you can find online to research the quality of a charity. Start by determining your personal standards. They can range from the number of years a charity has been in existence (brand new charities are a red flag), the mission of the charity, and the percentage of donated money that goes to supporting the cause.
For example, when I donate cash to a charity, I look for ones where at least 80% of donated funds go to the cause. That means no more than 20% is used for overhead. If the overhead cost exceeds 20%, I find another organization.
Non-Cash Donations
If you want to make non-cash donations, such as food, clothing, or household supplies, research how the items will be delivered to the disaster area, how they will be stored, and distributed once they arrive. Find an organization experienced in helping when disaster strikes. Look for one that has a systematic process to make sure your donation is used as intended.
You may find this information by reaching out to local service organizations, such as Rotary, Lions, Salvation Army, and local churches.
I hope you find this helpful. My thoughts and prayers are with the good people of Texas.
