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Dec 13, 2023
This past Saturday, December 9th, thirteen tornadoes ripped through the Middle Tennessee and Greater Nashville area resulting in six deaths and over 80 people being sent to hospitals. Eleven counties in Tennessee were impacted by these devastating storms. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency declared a state of emergency for Middle Tennessee. On December 13th, President Biden approved a disaster declaration for Tennessee and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. For those seeking to help those impacted by the storm, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips on giving.
Donate to experienced groups. Support experienced organizations that stand ready to provide effective assistance. Be cautious of organizations that form overnight in the wake of a disaster.
Find out how funds will be used. Vague descriptions of how the collected funds will be used should also be a yellow caution light. For example, will the funds be used to assist with medical expenses, reconstruction, funerals or other activities? Thoughtful requests for funding will take the added step of identifying and verifying needs before money is raised.
Review crowdfunding procedures. Crowdfunding platforms are not all the same. Some do a better job of vetting postings and projects that appear on their site than others. Review the site’s description of its oversight procedures before you participate. If you can’t easily find this description, visit a site that is more transparent. Also, some crowdfunding postings may be using pictures of impacted families without their permission. Don’t assume a photo confirms an official connection.
Your gift may not be deductible. If a crowdfunding posting is claiming to be helping a specific named individual or family, donors in the U.S. generally cannot claim a federal income tax deduction as a charitable gift, even if the individual or family is in need. See IRS Publication 526, page 6, for more information on this subject.
Rely on expert opinion. Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a charity. We recommend giving to charities that meet all 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, found at BBB’s Give.org.
The following organizations are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) and are engaged in tornado relief efforts.
American Red Cross – Tornado Relief Activities
Salvation Army (National Corporation) – Tornado Relief Activities
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee – Tornado Relief Activities
This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion with Anastasiia Tur, Chief Development Officer, and Igor Lisin, Vice-President, at Foundation Ukraine - one of the biggest organizations supporting migrants in Poland.
We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:
Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.
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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.
