Sep 15, 2023
Donating for Libyan Flood Relief
On Sunday, September 10th, Storm Daniel struck Libya’s northeastern coast, causing devastating floods and thousands of fatalities. The city of Derna was hit the hardest due to the destruction of two nearby dams. As relief and rescue organizations seek to provide help, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips and list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., those that meet all 20 of the BBB Charity Standards) that are collecting funds to address this disaster.
Is the appeal clear? Seek appeals that are upfront and clear about what disaster relief services you are supporting. A previous Give.org Donor Trust Report issued by BBB Wise Giving Alliance showed that only 24% of donors believe disaster relief appeals are “clear.”
Is the charity experienced in disaster relief? Support experienced organizations that stand ready to provide quick and effective assistance. Be cautious of newly formed organizations in the wake of a disaster. While well intended, they may not be able to follow through on their announced activities.
Does the charity already have a presence in Libya? If the charity already has skilled operations in affected areas, they will be in a better position to provide help quickly and reach those in need. Also, some charities may be raising money to pass along to other relief organizations. If so, you may want to consider “avoiding the middleman” and give directly to charities that have a presence in the region.
What about crowdfunding? If considering donating to a crowdfunding site, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust. Also, review the platform’s policies and procedures, keeping in mind that while some crowdfunding sites take measures to vet posts, others don’t.
Should goods be donated? Donating money is the quickest way to help and provides charities the flexibility to channel resources to impacted areas.
You can verify a charity’s trustworthiness by viewing an evaluative report completed by BBB Wise Giving Alliance. See the list provided below of charities that are soliciting for relief assistance for Libya and that also meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
Helping Hand for Relief and Development
International Rescue Committee
ABOUT BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE: BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org) is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of nationally soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, results reporting, finances, fundraising, appeal accuracy and other issues. National charity reports are produced by BBB’s Give.org and local charity reports are produced by local Better Business Bureaus – all reports are available at Give.org.
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance provides charity reports, which help donors review charities and find a trustworthy charity to support. We also conduct charity assessments to help charities improve their practices and demonstrate trust.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance provides charity reports, which help donors review charities and find a trustworthy charity to support. We also conduct charity assessments to help charities improve their practices and demonstrate trust.
