Arlington, VA (December 13, 2021) - The devastating tornadoes that hit Kentucky and five other states over the weekend left a path of destruction and an estimated 100 deaths. Recovery efforts are now underway. To help those seeking to make donations for tornado relief efforts, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips.

Look for appeal clarity. Seek out appeals that are upfront and clear about what disaster relief services you are supporting.

Give to experienced groups. Support experienced organizations that stand ready to provide quick and effective assistance. Be cautious of organizations that form overnight in the wake of a disaster.

Be wary of 100 percent claims. Watch out for claims that 100 percent of donations will assist relief victims. The organization is probably still incurring administrative and fundraising expenses, even if it is using other funds to cover these costs.

Give money rather than goods. Donating money is the quickest way to help and provides charities the flexibility to channel resources to impacted areas.

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.

Understanding crowdfunding. If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust, and review the platform’s policies regarding fees and distribution of collected funds. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals who decide to post for assistance after a disaster. Sites that take security measures will usually provide descriptions of these procedures.

Identify celebrity fundraising plans. Before donating to a celebrity’s fundraising effort, look beyond the fame. See if they identify plans for intended use of funds or whether they are collaborating with a well-established charity.

The following organizations are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) and currently have a website page that announces they are collecting funds to assist tornado relief efforts.  This list will be updated as additional efforts come to our attention.

American Red Cross

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Americares

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

CARE USA

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Feed The Children

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland

BBB Charity Report

Tornado Relief Activities

GlobalGiving  Foundation

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Heart to Heart International

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

International Medical Corps

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Matthew 25: Ministries

BBB Charity Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Salvation Army

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

SOS

BBB Charity Report

Tornado Relief Activities

United Methodist Committee on Relief

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

Water Step

BBB Charity Report

Tornado Relief Activities

World Vision

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Report

Tornado Relief Activities

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.

ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, journalists should contact Bennett Weiner (bweiner@give.org)