- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
For those of you who asked the question, what can I do? It seems the best thing you can do is send money. This is from the Red Cross WEB site:
10 Reasons Why Donating Cash is Best
1. Cash provides the quickest possible relief and takes virtually no time to arrive at the disaster area.
2. Cash donations allow relief agencies to purchase exactly what is urgently needed.
3. Supplies such as new clothing, essential items and food, even in famine situations, are nearly always available for purchase somewhere near the disaster area.
4. Local purchases help stimulate the economy, provide jobs and help bring about a faster recovery.
5. A U.S. dollar goes farther and buys much more in a developing country.
6. Many relief agencies issue vouchers that allow victims to purchase the clothing they need in the correct size to suit their taste. Psychologically, even this small decision helps disaster victims start taking control over their lives.
7. Cash can be used to purchase necessities that are not easily donated: non-household items such as building materials, heavy equipment or water purification systems.
8. Cash donations incur no transportation costs and require no warehouse space. Non-essential goods can divert important resources needed to provide emergency services, particularly in areas where transportation systems, roads and infrastructure are damaged.
9. For relief organizations with limited resources, cash donations are easier to manage than donated goods. The financial and labor costs of receiving, sorting, and ensuring the quality and cleanliness of food, clothing and other goods donated by individual households are very high.
10. Cash helps restore the self-reliance of those affected by helping them participate in their own recovery. Most disaster relief assistance and rebuilding efforts come from within the affected country.