1. Determine what kind of relief you want to support.What matters most to you? "Disaster Relief" has many components - medical assistance, emergency housing, provision of potable water, feeding the hungry, sending in search and rescue teams. Decide which one(s) you would like to support.
2. Do a bit of research.Use Guide Star and Just Give to find out more details on a nonprofit you are considering for a donation. Make certain that the nonprofit you choose is a 501c3, which ensures that they are considered a charitable organization, eligible to receive tax deductible contributions and have filed the necessary application with the IRS.
3. Options.
Listed below are just a few nonprofit organizations that are conducting Disaster Relief Efforts:
~~American Red Cross
~~United States Fund for UNICEF
~~Catholic Relief Services
~~Oxfam America
4. Consider making your gift in a few weeks or months. As time passes and the new stories, reporting and media around the tragedy may slightly diminish, help will be needed then as well. We certainly saw this in the case of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
5. Questions? Need help with your research and / or some guidance? Call me or email me. I am happy to help.
