Disasters often bring out the best in humanity, uniting communities through an overwhelming urge to help and restore a sense of safety. Whether it’s a wildfire blazing through the mountains, a tornado raging through small towns or a mudslide sweeping away villages, we’re called and compelled to help those left in the wake.
We’re quick to collect teddy bears, gather blankets and organize food drives, but when unsolicited, those items can hamper recovery efforts, creating more work for on-site volunteers.
“Often, the best intentions might not necessarily meet the moment,” says Colin Thomas-Jensen, director of impact at the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, a foundation that seeks to address on-ground humanitarian challenges around the world. “The most important asset that anyone can provide right now is funding and cash. In any disaster, organizations are often flooded with in-kind donations of clothing and food, but what allows any organization... to move quickly and nimbly to meet the needs on the ground is money.”
Why Cash Helps More Than Donated Items
Referencing international disasters, Thomas-Jensen says there is often less of a commodity shortage in disaster zones than people realize.
“It’s not that there is no food available,” he explains. “It’s that there’s no money to buy food, and so by providing organizations with cash and not putting any restrictions on that... you’re really giving the aid providers the flexibility to either source things locally if they need to get commodities locally or on the international market. You’re giving the agency to the people in the field who are making those decisions.”
In January 2010, Thomas-Jensen was a first responder following a devastating earthquake in Haiti. Registering a magnitude of 7.0, the earthquake left more than 316,000 people dead or missing and over 1.3 million homeless. In the rush to help, a group of American women donated breast milk to Haitian mothers, he recalls, but unfortunately, there was no way to utilize it.
“It was put on a container ship and shipped to Haiti,” he says. “The challenge was there was no power, and therefore no refrigeration. I was working with USAID at the time, [and] we had this agonizing decision to say... ‘As wonderful a gesture as this is... it’s going to rot in the port. It’s going to spoil.'”
“I tell that story just to say, you might have the best idea, but it’s worth figuring out, ‘OK, what are the needs?'”
Justin Kates, a former emergency management official in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, says “cash is king” in domestic disasters too.
“The reason for this is cash can quickly be converted to whatever the needs are for that community,” he says. “In some cases, that might be food and water and other types of support. In some cases, it might be clothing or other types of materials. In some cases, it might be assistance to the disaster survivors who need to make repairs on their homes.”
Kates explains that as government jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations assess the damage and needs, cash allows them to rapidly change the direction of aid.
“But if they’re trying to figure out how to convert prom dresses that were donated in the middle of the winter... often we see them just go into the dumpster,” he says.
Why Unrequested Items Can Slow Down Recovery
When people donate unsolicited items, it’s a logistical challenge for those managing the emergency response. Kates says that unlike retailers, organizations and communities don’t have a system to handle incoming goods, inventory those items and then distribute them.
“[They] do not have [the] capability to just develop that on the fly... to be able to take in those items from folks, sort them, in some cases clean them and then get them to the people who need them most,” he says. “Those communities and those nonprofits... often are overwhelmed as it stands already, just dealing with the disaster, and so they may have other missions or other activities that they’re working on.
“Trying to coordinate the donations effort [of unsolicited items] is not one that they can really add to their plate during that scenario.”
Kates says the only time it’s acceptable to donate physical goods is when a nonprofit organization or government agency has issued a specific request, and even then it’s important to follow the directions provided and donate only what was requested.
How to Choose a Trustworthy Disaster Relief Charity
Some people may be reluctant to give money to relief efforts because they fear being scammed or the money not going to something specific, which Thomas-Jensen says is understandable.
“There are, of course, charities that are more reputable and have stronger reputations than others,” he says. “I encourage people to do a little bit of research.... You want to make sure [your money] is going to something that you care about and... [find] an organization that kind of speaks to you personally.”
Kates says if you’re unsure where to start, look for a national organization working in the affected area.
“The American Red Cross is a good example,” he says. “They are often in a disaster [and] going to have some impact or influence on what’s going on there. The same thing goes for The Salvation Army.”
Another option is to donate to a faith-based organization that has a disaster response arm or seek out specific accounts or funds created in the aftermath of a disaster. These are often sponsored by government jurisdictions or the local chapter of United Way, and the money is then distributed to local nonprofits aiding in the recovery either through donations or a grant process.
How to Verify a Charity Before You Give
The National Council of Nonprofits does advise donors to be leery of charities with names similar to well-known organizations, saying some phony charities even create websites that look like those of legitimate organizations. If after researching a group you’re still unsure, you can utilize the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to verify their status before making a contribution.
Thomas-Jensen admits that sometimes the desire to donate items, such as food and clothing, is strong, but he reminds donors that a financial contribution can more quickly get to those who need it most and make a greater impact.
“I do think it’s hard because it could feel better in some ways to give tangible things.... It’s sort of like giving cash to someone for their birthday,” he says. “[You think], ‘Couldn’t I have come up with a more creative gift?' In a disaster response, the cash, the funding, the flexible funding is the best thing that anyone can do.”
Featured image courtesy of Sasin Paraksa/Shutterstock
This article was first published in the November 2025 issue of SUCCESS® digital edition. Get your FREE copy here.
