Give.org and BBB Advise Hurricane Donors to Support Experienced Disaster Relief Charities

Better Business Bureau

BBB Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org) and the Better Business Bureau advise donors that experienced disaster relief organizations are your best bet to provide emergency help for victims of Hurricane Florence. It’s also important for contributors to ask about what activities their donations will fund.
 
“This is not amateur hour,” notes Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance. “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. 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.”
“With such a devastating hurricane bearing down on the southeast coast of the United States, emotions are running high,” Taylor said.  “While we all want to help those in harm’s way as soon as we can, donors should watch out for newly created organizations that emerge that are either inexperienced in addressing disasters or may be seeking to deceive donors at a vulnerable time.” 
BBB also expects to see price-gougers and “storm chasers” looking to make a quick buck off preparation and clean-up efforts. Consumers can report suspected scams to BBB Scam Tracker or the office of the Attorney General in their state.
 
For tips on avoiding questionable appeals, as well as a list of national BBB Accredited Charities gearing up for hurricane relief efforts, go to Give.org.
 
The emergency phase of a disaster is just the beginning. Full recovery from a disaster will be a long-term activity that can take many months or years to accomplish, depending on the extent of the damage. Those truly concerned about helping communities bounce back will have many opportunities to help in the future. Follow the link above for a list of BBB Accredited Charities raising funds for Hurricane Florence relief assistance. This list will be updated as additional relief efforts come to BBB WGA’s attention.