Wise Giving Wednesday: Update on Hurricane Harvey Relief Fundraising
As people return to their homes after Hurricane Harvey, the enormity of the storm’s impact becomes even more evident. As reported, over 40,000 homes were damaged and large numbers of people remain in shelters. As the charity relief efforts continue, we thought it would be helpful to provide readers with an updated list of both national and local charities that are soliciting for some aspect of assistance to help the communities hurt by the storm. All of these charities were evaluated by either the BBB Wise Giving Alliance or the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and found to meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
We also remind donors that the charitable needs of these areas will not disappear when the headlines do, so keep these organizations in mind for current as well as future giving opportunities. In turn, these relief efforts will eventually evolve into the recovery phase of relief which will focus on clean-up and long-term rebuilding efforts that will require planning as well as additional funding. Recovery is likely to take years to address and as New Orleans recovery efforts after Katrina has shown, there are challenges that can occur along that journey.
The following is a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., organizations that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) that are raising funds for Hurricane Harvey relief assistance. This list will be updated as additional relief efforts come to BBB WGA’s attention.
ALS Association / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association
ASPCA / American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese Galveston-Houston
Christian Community Service Center
Citizens for Animal Protection
Episcopal Relief and Development
Greater Houston Community Foundation
Humane Society of the United States
Humble Area Assistance Ministries (H.A.A.M.)
United Methodist Committee on Relief
West Houston Assistance Ministries
As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video that features John Lyon, President & CEO, World Hope International (a BBB Accredited Charity) that serves as a Christian humanitarian relief and development organization that provides services to the poor, the vulnerable, the oppressed, the homeless, and those who suffer from war, natural disaster and chronic need. The organization's program areas include anti-trafficking and gender-based violence, agriculture, education, child sponsorship, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, emergency response, and rural and economic development.
Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ 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