After a disaster, all donations are not equal

Updated 8/31 with another tip, at the bottom.

We've begun to get reader questions about donating to help Texas, and already a few folks in the area are beginning to set up drop-offs for various items.

Over on my personal Facebook account I've had one friend already direct similar questions at me, based on the time I've spent in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Unfortunately, Haiti has become the example of how not to do relief work after a major natural disaster. 

In each case, I've offered suggestions to people. And I know I risk getting sideways with wonderful people with wonderful intentions. People who want to help the best way they know. But that doesn't mean they're being efficient and effective and being as helpful as possible to the people who need help the most.

--Sending money is always more effective than sending stuff. Even if everything is donated, even if transportation is donated, even if labor is donated, sending truckloads of items into a disaster zone is of minimal use. The likelihood that at the other end the right item gets in the right hands at the right time is slim. It will get handed out, but the logistics of sorting and distribution are daunting in an environment as chaotic as Texas is at the moment. Cash is king. Charities such as the American Red Cross can get what's needed in bulk, at wholesale or below and distribute considerably more for each dollar you donate. Other charities, likewise, so long as you know they're legit. (More on that in a minute.) And often the cash is spent close to the disaster, which is something their economy needs right now.

--Red Cross does a great job with short-term, immediate relief. I have no qualms about donating to them this week and this month. For what has to happen three months from now, no. That's not their gig. When they collected so much money for Haiti that their coffers were still full long after the immediate relief effort, they tried their hand at rebuilding. And they were not good at it, at least in any measurable way. So, no, I think of Red Cross as a short-term solution.

Dorries::Haiti scours your soul

--For longer-term solutions, it's about recovery, not rescue. True rebuilding organizations should be trusted. Habitat for Humanity always comes to mind for me. So does Catholic Relief Services. But the key is to not be taken in by a great sales pitch. Check out any organization's rating on Guidestar.org. It should give you an idea if the group asking for money is worthy of your donation. And how much will go for administration.

--Mission trips. You know that by next summer, there'll be a ton of them. And they'll do some good work. Perhaps you'll go. If you do, remember that people in Texas are also capable of labor, both for themselves and their neighbors. It's empowering. They're going to need it. What they're going to lack is the material and means. The real value of a mission trip isn't swinging a hammer. It's working in concert with a community on that community's priorities, bringing what expertise and resource you have and can provide, and building relationships with the people you're there to "help." In many instances, the missionary is the one who experiences conversion or enlightenment. May that always be the case.

--And one more tip, added late: Maximize your donation. Many employers, mine included, match charitable gifts to qualifying organizations. During time of crisis, such as this, many even drop the minimum donation they'll match so that you don't have to give $50 or $100 bucks to get the match for the charity. Check with your HR department if you're unsure.

David Fritz is executive editor of The News Leader and coordinator of the Haiti Ministry at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Harrisonburg.