In times of crisis, Americans across the country have an immediate reaction of wanting to give and wanting to help. This is a very good thing, and it's one of the things that make this country great. When the Haiti earthquake hit and when the Chilean earthquake followed, people everywhere were organizing drives of various types to get some sort of relief on its way.

Like with many good ideas though, a little polishing can make a good idea great.

Let's look at just a few considerations that can make your donation during a disaster a win / win for everyone involved. Let's look at the best ways for you to G.I.V.E.:

Goods - Donations of clothing and other items are good if done in the right way.

Income - Sharing your cash is the most efficient way to help, but there are things you should know.

Volunteers - Some disasters could use some helping hands on the ground, but others don't.

Expertise - In some cases you can help victims get certain areas of their life back on track donation management.

Goods

This is the most common form of donation, especially when a local catastrophe occurs. If someone's house burns down and the family loses everything, neighbors are usually quick to contribute clothes, household goods, etc. to help the family get back on their feet.

The more local the disaster, the more useful is the donation of goods. However, for large-scale incidents or disasters farther away, the donation of tangible items becomes less of a good idea. This is because physical items require sorting, shipping, storage, distribution, warehousing, etc. So, by the time you send that old pair of jeans half a continent away, they eventually wind up costing more than a brand new pair.

The best way to donate physical goods is through local organizations that are set up to handle them and who will either use them for local disasters or who can sell the goods to raise money to be used in other ways to help. Good examples of places to donate include faith based organizations, Good Will, and the Salvation Army.

Income

When it comes to disaster relief, cash is king. With cash, relief organizations can pinpoint exactly the type and amount of items they need for a particular disaster and purchase accordingly. Money can be used to supply a variety of aid including water, food, and medicine, and is not limited to the items we usually see donated.



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