• Why is USA Freedom Corps encouraging only monetary donations and how do I make a donation?
  
  
• I have goods that I would like to donate... how do I do that?
  
  
• How do I get my non-profit organization listed on your website?
  
  
• I want to volunteer in the tsunami disaster relief. Can I?
   
• Where can I find financial information for the non-profit organizations you list on your website?

Why is USA Freedom Corps encouraging only monetary donations and how do I make a donation?

Thank you for your interest in making a donation to assist the earthquake and tsunami victims in South and South East Asia.

The most effective way people can assist in tsunami relief efforts is through monetary donations to humanitarian organizations that are providing disaster relief services in the affected areas. Cash donations are encouraged because they:

• allow aid professionals to procure quickly and efficiently the exact items needed in the disaster-stricken region;
• reduce the burden on scarce resources in the affected region;
• support the economy of the affected region; and
• ensure assistance that is medically, culturally, and environmentally appropriate.

USA Freedom Corps has obtained from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) a list of reputable charities that are providing disaster relief for the earthquake and tsunami victims. To view this list, please click here. You can make your donation directly to the organizations on the list by mail, phone, or through their web sites.

I have goods that I would like to donate... how do I do that?

As explained above, disaster aid professionals have made clear that the most effective way people can assist in tsunami relief efforts is through monetary donations. However, should you have goods that you believe may be useful to the relief and recovery efforts, you can register your offer with the Center for International Disaster Information at www.cidi.org. The Center for International Disaster Information is coordinating in-kind offers on behalf of USAID. If the materials can be used, a representative from the Center for International Disaster Information will contact you.

How do I get my non-profit organization listed on your website?

USA Freedom Corps appreciates your interest in having your organization added to those listed on our website. The list on USA Freedom Corps’ website is provided by USAID. Please email webmaster@info.usaid.gov if you are interested in having your organization added to the list.

I want to volunteer in the tsunami disaster relief. Can I?

Volunteer opportunities in disaster settings are extremely rare, and are usually limited to people with prior disaster experience and technical skills (such as health, engineering, etc). The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is through monetary donations to humanitarian organizations that are providing disaster relief services in the affected region. To view a list of reputable charities providing disaster relief for the earthquake and tsunami victims, click here. You can make your donation directly to these organizations by mail, phone, or through their web sites.

If you are still interested in volunteering, please contact Volunteers for Prosperity, an initiative to encourage international volunteer service that is housed at USAID. Their contact email is volunteersforprosperity@usaid.gov.

Where can I find financial information for the non-profit organizations you list on your website?

In most cases, financial information for the individual organizations can be found on the Internet, either from the organizations’ own websites, or from websites such as www.networkforgood.org or www.guidestar.org.

Should you have any additional questions, please email them to info@usafreedomcorps.gov or contact the USA Freedom Corps directly at (202) 456-7381.

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