Hurricane Michael which is expected to make landfall in the Florida panhandle on Wednesday is anticipated to be a powerful storm. As reported, only three other major hurricanes have hit that area of the U.S. since 1950.  As disaster relief organizations begin to solicit for relief assistance, BBB Wise Giving Alliance encourages donors to review our Disaster Relief Donation Tips page and also keep the following three basic points in mind.

1.   Donate to experienced disaster relief organizations. These groups are the best bet to help provide quick and effective assistance to those impacted by the storm. Be cautious about newly established groups and/or those that are vague about what type of help they intend to provide.

2.   Crowdfunding cautions. If you decide to contribute via crowdfunding, it is safest to give to individuals who you personally know that have posted requests for assistance. While there are places such as Give.org that help vet charities, it is difficult to vet individuals. And remember to check the terms and conditions of the platform to learn how your donation will be affected.

3.   Seek out BBB Accredited Charities. To help verify charity trustworthiness, visit Give.org to access reports that indicate if the relief organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

When appeals begin to emerge, we will post a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., organizations that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) raising funds for Hurricane Michael relief.

Recent Media Mention

We also would like to bring your attention to a story posted by ConsumersAdvocates.org, Give.org – The Benchmark for Giving, which provides an overview of the history and reporting activities of BBB Wise Giving Alliance.  

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a 2016 video that features Lt. Col. Ron Busroe (recently retired) from The Salvation Army's National Headquarters in the United States (a BBB Accredited Charity).  Lt. Col. Busroe recently retired from the organization.  The Salvation Army works through a network of 7,580 facilities in communities throughout the United States. The organization services include providing shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry, daycare services for the elderly, assistance for the disabled, job training for displaced individuals, Bible classes for people in prison, relief for disaster victims, after-school tutoring, youth camps, and recreation activities for children. 

Recent Reports

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:

• Action on Smoking and Health
• Best Friends Animal Society
• Nature Conservancy 

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.  

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance