| Natural and man-made disasters result in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage to housing and infrastructure every year. Despite the American public’s best intentions, donated goods that are unsolicited or inappropriate can cause more harm than good. Unnecessary items frequently compete with essential relief goods for the same limited transportation facilities, and delay the delivery of requested provisions to those most urgently in need. By following the guidelines below, requested donations will arrive at the scene of a disaster in an orderly, timely fashion that enhances, rather than hinders, the recovery and rebuilding process. Recipient nations receiving assistance in this way will find it easier to cope with the daunting tasks facing them. Public Donation Information - In the interest of effective coordination of public response, we encourage concerned citizens to provide monetary donations to appropriate organizations. To find out about contributions, USAID encourages the public to access its web site at www.usaid.gov or to contact its Humanitarian Hotline at 1-800-USAID-Relief between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The public can also directly contact those private voluntary organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region to provide monetary donations. Additionally, the public can contact InterAction, a coalition of voluntary humanitarian and development organizations that work overseas, via their web site (www.interaction.org). T
Briefly, the main points for international donations are. - Monetary Contributions to Established Relief Agencies Are Always the Most Useful Response to Disasters
- Volunteer Opportunities for Disaster Relief Are Extremely Limited
- Never Assume the U.S. Government or Any Relief Agency Will Transport Unsolicited Relief Items Free of Charge
- Confirm there is A Need for All Items Being Collected.
- Donate Only to Organizations Having the Ability to Transport Collected Items to the Affected Region
- Deliver Items Only to Organizations Having Local Distribution Capacity.
- Donated Items Must Be High Quality, Well Packed, and Clearly Labeled
In the interest of effective coordination of public response, the public should contact directly those private voluntary organizations currently working in the region in order to provide monetary donations or call the U.S. Agency for International Development Hotline at 1-800-872-4373 between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm EST. |
