How Can I Help?
Alternate Uses for Commodity Contributions
If a commodity collection does not fit the criteria
or appropriateness, an alternate possibility is a yard sale of the collected material with the proceeds being donated to a humanitarian organization working in the affected region. The sale could be held via a church or community group, and advertising it as supporting people affected by the disaster might increase patronage.
Another possibility is to donate the commodities to charitable organizations operating in the US. There is plenty of need across this country, and commodity contributions made in the US do not face most of the problems described in these pages: transportation cost, urgency, cultural appropriateness, etc. Examples of charitable organizations include the Salvation Army, Goodwill, homeless shelters, the local chapter of the American Red Cross, and others. Check a local phone book for more information.
For more suggestions on alternate ideas for commodity contributions, contact The Center for International Disaster Information at (703) 276-1914.
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