The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) announces its top-rated charities currently offering services to the victims of the recent hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Gustav struck the Caribbean and southern U.S. Gulf coast with winds of over 100 miles per hour and extremely heavy rains, resulting in widespread damage and extensive power outages. Tropical Storm Hanna devastated Haiti leaving a humanitarian disaster, while Hurricane Ike, a massive, 800-mile-wide storm, has left a path of destruction in its wake as it crossed eastern Texas.

AIP, a leading charity watchdog that issues letter grade (A+ to F) ratings of nonprofit groups, identifies the following relief charities, which are providing aid to the victims. These charities have received an “A” or “B” grade based on the portion of their budget going to program services and their fundraising efficiency. Donors should contact the charities to obtain details on current regional relief operations and for specific information on what kinds of assistance are required.

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American Red Cross (A-)
  1-800-435-7669

Habitat for Humanity International - National Office (A-)
  1-800-422-4828

International Medical Corps (A)
  1-800-481-4462

Mercy Corps (A-)
  1-888-256-1900

Operation USA (A-)
  1-800-678-7255

Oxfam-America (A)
  1-800-776-9326

Salvation Army (A)
  1-800-725-2769

Save the Children (A)
  1-800-728-3843

World Vision (B+)
  1-888-511-6598

These charities perform favorably in relation to AIP’s benchmarks:

1) A charity should spend at least 60% of its budget on program services.
2) Charities should spend no more than $35 to raise $100.

Contact your favorite charities to find out if they provide the specific types of aid that you would like to fund, e.g., emergency relief, health care, infrastructure development, education, etc.

DONORS BEWARE
Americans wanting to help the hurricane victims should send contributions to only those charities with an established track record of helping people in this region.

Tips for Making the Most of Your Donation:

· Give to newly created charities only if you have reliable third-party verification of their credibility and/or have knowledge of and trust the officers and directors of the new group.

· Do not assume that a claimed celebrity endorsement is real or that the celebrity has adequately scrutinized the charity.

· Give with check or credit card instead of cash. There is little assurance that coin or currency donations will actually go to the intended beneficiary.

· Be cautious about giving to individual disaster victims that show up on covers of magazines or on television. Unpublicized victims may be more in need than publicized victims who are often flooded with gifts.

· Be cautious about giving in response to a telemarketing call. If you decide to donate, make sure you have reviewed all the information from the charity and ask what percentage of your contribution will fund the pertinent programs. For more tips on giving click here.

SEND A CHECK, NOT GOODS
The best way to help is by sending a check. Cash donations enable charities to buy the most needed types of food, medicine, clothing, shelter materials and other supplies. By buying relief products locally or regionally, charities can reduce shipping costs and more rapidly deliver assistance. Before sending any goods, first contact the charity to find out if they are appropriate and if it will be cost effective to distribute them. For example, after the tsunami in southeast Asia, boxes of donated winter coats, scarves and fuzzy hats, completely useless items in tsunami stricken nations with tropical climates, were sent to these nations.

CONSIDER GIVING TO CHARITIES NOT INVOLVED IN RELIEF EFFORTS
Unfortunately, donations to aid survivors of these storms may mean less donations to other charities, especially social and human services charities. Charities that aid the poor, the disabled and the homeless are being stretched to help greater numbers of people due to the downturn in the economy.

The public's focus on hurricanes and storms is likely to divert much-needed funds away from charities not involved in relief efforts. AIP urges donors to consider giving to these charities because there are many others still in need outside of the Gulf Coast region.