Help Survivors of the Tornado Disasters

On May 22 a series of devastating tornadoes ripped through America's heartland causing death and destruction in nine states. The worst of these storms destroyed much of Joplin, Missouri

• American Red Cross - The ARC is sending tarps, hygiene items and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families and is helping the injured who may need blood. Thousands of local Red Cross volunteers are already aiding their fellow citizens and ARC Disaster management specialists are scheduled to be on the ground soon.

• Americares - Sending $5 million of medical aid to survivors including antibiotics, pain relievers, bandages and medical supplies for survivors with trauma injuries.

• CARE - Deploying emergency team members to the devastation areas and will be distributing food. Over 100 staff members on the ground coordinating with U.N. agencies.

• Convoy of Hope - Setting up an emergency command center where food, water and supplies are being distributed.

• Direct Relief International - Arranging an emergency airlift containing over $2 million in medicines and medical supplies. t

• Doctors Without Borders - Currently treating people on the ground and will be operating an inflatable hospital.. 

Of course, these are just a few of the many charities offering aid. For other options for your philanthropic investment, please refer to our extended list of highly-rated charities on the right. 

Tips For Funding tornado Relief Efforts

Avoid Newly-Formed Charities and Give To An Established Charity  - Establishing a new charity is hard enough, but in a crisis, the odds of succeeding are slim to none. Think of it this way: would you entrust all your savings in a financial firm that just opened, doesn't even have stationery, and whose employees have no experience in investing money? Doubtful. Find a charity with a proven track record of success in providing disaster relief and one that has worked in Haiti. Start with the list of charities on the right and if a group you are considering supporting isn’t there, then take the time to thoroughly research it before making a gift.

Designate Your Investment – Generally, it is best to trust your chosen charity to spend your donation as it sees fit. But with disaster related giving, you should specify that you want your donation only used to respond to this particular crisis.

Be Careful Of Email Solicitations

• Be Leery Of People That Contact You Online Claiming To Be A Victim – Unless you personally know someone in the area, anyone alleging to be in this position is most likely part of a scam. Obviously, people affected by the tornadoes are in no position to contact you directly for assistance.
• Delete Unsolicited Emails With Attachments - Never respond to unsolicited emails. Do not open any attachments to these emails even if they claim to contain pictures from he devastation. These attachments are probably viruses.

Seek Out The Charity’s Authorized Website –

Is it safe to make a text donation? - So long as you do your homework, yes. Please visit our blog for a longer explanation.

Consider The Nature Of The Charity’s Work – Not every charity is responding in the same way. Some are providing medical assistance, some shelter, some food and water. Others will be more focused on either short term or long term rebuilding efforts. And some are just helping to fundraise for other nonprofits. Think about what it is you want your philanthropic investment to accomplish and then take the time to find the charities doing that work. At Charity Navigator we link to each charity’s website so that you can quickly learn more about their plans to help.

Be Inspired By Social Media, But Still Do Your Homework – Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs are delivering heart-wrenching images and information about the disasters to our computers and phones. Many of them include pleas to donate. While these tools can be a powerful tool to inspire your desire to help, you should not blindly give via these vehicles. You must take the time to investigate the groups behind such pleas for help to ensure that it comes from a legitimate nonprofit. For example, you can donate $10 to the American Red Cross by texting to 90999.

Avoid Telemarketers – As always, hang up the phone do your homework and give directly to a charity.

Do Not Expect Immediate Results, But Do Keep Tabs On What Your Donation Accomplishes- It takes time for charities to mobilize, to assess the problems that need to be addressed and to develop effective solutions. Donors need to be patient so charities will not feel pressured to plunge in and offer ineffective aid, simply to placate impatient donors. That doesn't mean donors shouldn't hold the charities accountable for delivering on their promises! Be sure to follow up with the charity in a few months to find out (a) how your donation was put to use and (b) if the organization needs additional support to complete the recovery effort.