Last night there was a women on CNN stating that people wanting to offer assistance to the survivors of the Asian Tsunami disaster shouldn't sent food or clothes...just sent money :(

Does anyone sense a scam brewing :eek:

The reasons for this request are actually logical. First, when people contribute clothes and other household goods they must be sorted, laundered, assessed for condition, and then transported half way around the world. This is expensive when compared with moving the money. The second reason is that more culturally appropriate goods are available for far less money locally. If you donate your old suit and tie, it will serve little or no function for an impoverished fisherman in Indonesia. The third reason is that spending the money in the affected areas helps the economy there at a time when it has been massively disrupted.
With this said, one should always be careful to pick a charity that is legitimate, and will use the money appropriately.

Originally posted by Imagineer
The second reason is that more culturally appropriate goods are available for far less money locally.

I didn't think that there was anything left locally to be distributed..but I could be wrong

I work for the Red Cross. Imageer is right on. It is cheaper to buy what is needed near the disaster than to ship it half way around the world.

People should check to see if their donations would be tax-deductible. It's important to watch out for new organizations that have no background information -- check online to research.

If you give to a relief fund please make sure that it is a well established charity. Any charity should be useing less than 20% for overhead, The lower the better.

Some well established and well run charities are:

United Way
Oxfam
Doctors without boarders
International Red Cross,
UNICEF,
World Vision
Save the Children
American Jewish world service

Understood...Thanks :)