This has been a pretty awful week for news, with images and stories on the devastating earthquake in Nepal taking over our nightly news broadcasts and social media networks. With thousands of people injured and entire towns and communities in ruins after the massive 7.8 magnitude quake, it’s hard to imagine how people are going to rebuild. The communities of Nepal need everyone’s help, no matter how far away. But before you make your tax-deductible donation, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Be sure to stick to legitimate, long-standing charities that are up-front about their financial records and have proven that they can actually provide support to their causes. Consult this list from the Better Business Bureau of reliable charities that currently have operations in Nepal, or search a charity’s history on Charity Navigator.
Be protective of your financial information, and wary of scams. Don’t ever donate to a site that claims it will redirect your payment to a charity—donate directly on the charity’s website. Be sure to get a receipt or some other kind of confirmation of your donation.
Do not donate clothing, blankets, food or other non-cash items. While it’s a nice gesture, the specific items you want to donate might not be needed or appropriate for the conditions over there, plus it’s much harder to ship and distribute clothing overseas than it is to wire money. Even if you’re hard-pressed for cash (as many of us are!), the smallest amount of money can be more useful than old castoffs.
If you’re looking to help out, here’s some great organizations to donate to:
1. American Red Cross: Currently, the Red Cross is providing first aid, search and rescue, blood to medical facilities in the capital and support to first responders. They’re working with the Nepal branch of the Red Cross to provide relief and connect separated family members.
2. WorldRelief: Funds donated here will go towards providing shelter, water and sanitation needs, and non-food items—like blankets and hygiene kits—for the people in the hard-hit Sindhupalchowk District.
3. Americares: Workers are sending over much-needed medical supplies from nearby Mumbai and are providing medical treatment to the thousands of people affected by the quake. Your donation will help provide more medicines and care to those in need.
4. CARE: This charity has been working in Nepal for a long time, and thus already has boots on the ground helping to distribute food and supplies. Donations will go towards funding and distributing emergency shelter and hygiene kits to victims living in remote areas.
5. Operation USA: This charity also has a long-standing presence in Nepal, and is helping restock hospitals and other general disaster relief efforts.
6. Interaction Nepal: Looking to donate for a specific purpose (like medicine, children’s aid, or food supply)? This network hooks you up directly with programs that are working in Nepal—search on the pull tab on the top right to filter charities by aid type.
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Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty
