Why are cash donations the preferred method of international disaster aid?
• Financial contributions are easily convertible to meet the international disaster victims’ specific and immediate needs; • Cash donations are more efficient, allowing purchases to be made at a bulk discount, at a lower transportation cost and with American dollars which generally go farther overseas; and, • Cash donations go directly to the disaster site, allowing for exact purchases of what is needed most urgently and stimulating local economies. Other donations, such as used clothing, canned food and bottled water, take time and money to transport, rarely meet victims’ urgent needs, often interfere with professional relief efforts and frequently clash with cultural norms. 22. Can we include information in the PSA about donating other items such as commodities to international disaster victims? No. We would like the PSA to focus on the “cash is best” theme and deter people from giving inappropriate items that will not best help victims. One of the greatest misconceptions regarding i
Cash is the fastest and best way to provide effective relief to international disaster victims for three reasons: • Financial contributions are easily convertible to meet specific and immediate needs. • Cash donations are more efficient, allowing purchases to be made at a bulk discount, at a lower transportation cost and with American dollars which generally go farther overseas. • Cash donations go directly to the disaster site, allowing for exact purchases of what is needed most urgently and stimulating local economies. Donations, such as used clothing, canned food and bottled water take time and money to transport, rarely meet victims’ urgent needs and often interfere with professional relief efforts. Will my cash donation benefit the victims or the overhead of the relief agency? There are some relief agencies that operate with very low overhead rates, mainly because their activities focus on the collection of materials and arranging the necessary transportation for these items to di
Related Questions
- Do the required matching funds have to be in cash, or can they be in-kind donations and services, e.g., staff time working on the program?
- Does the American Red Cross ever accept in-kind donations for international disaster response?
- Why are cash donations the preferred method of international disaster aid?
