Unsolicited Help Can Hurt! How to do Good the Right Way!

“As the recovery and rebuilding process begins in the Town of Danvers in response to the industrial explosion and resulting damage, we, in Emergency Management, encourage individuals and organizations, who wish to assist, to contribute wisely towards the recovery efforts,” stated Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Cristine McCombs.  “Because this is the ‘Season For Giving’, many people want to find ways to assist those most greatly impacted. Ironically, donated goods and volunteers that are not specifically needed in a disaster area can hurt more than help.  Well-intentioned, but ill-conceived, shipment of goods and volunteers to an area impacted by a disaster, such as this, can actually cause a ‘secondary disaster’, in spite of the fact that donors really want to help. To that end, we have outlined important guidelines for individuals and organizations to always consider before offering help.”

Consider the following before you donate goods, money or time:

Financial Contributions Are Preferred.

Cash donations help to avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing, transporting and distributing donated goods.  Voluntary relief agencies use cash to meet victims’ specific needs more quickly.  Many voluntary disaster relief organizations have pre-existing relationships with major providers of disaster materials and supplies, and can leverage extremely good discounts, so donated dollars actually go further than if individuals purchase them. Unsolicited donations can create storage and transportation problems for those already warehousing supplies that are needed and a needless expenditure to transport.

Donate Through Experienced Organizations.

Be familiar with the organization that you are assisting. Work with voluntary disaster organizations with a known track record. Although relief agencies prefer the versatility of cash donations, some do have the infrastructure in place to store and distribute donated goods.  To prevent waste, donated goods should be made only to agencies that have requested specific items.

IMPORTANT DONATION OPPORTUNITIES

American Red Cross –   (800) 564-1234

Salvation Army – (617) 542-5420 www.salvationarmy-ma.org

Greater Boston Food Bank – (617) 427-5200 www.gbfb.org