CharityWatch spoke with D.C. News Now reporter, Dave Leval, about donating to help the victims of Hurricane Ian.
"Resist the urge to give impulsively," says CharityWatch executive director, Laurie Styron. "If you donate to a charity and don't know how it's going to be used, that's not a great way to give. That's not a great way to ensure that your donation will actually make an impact," she says.
Many people like to help many charities, rather than donating to only one or two. Styron encourages donors to rethink this approach. "When you donate very small amounts of money to a lot of different charities, less of your donation is available for programs because...much of it gets eaten up in these administrative fees," Styron told DC News Now.
"One particular victim of a disaster can end up with $1 million or more, whereas people in the exact same situation, affected negatively by the exact same tragedy, sometimes have no help at all," Styron warned. This can occur when the tragic story of one individual or family goes viral or is highly publicized by media, resulting in an outpouring of donations directed to only a few victims via a crowdfunding campaign or other medium. A better way to ensure that your donation is used not only efficiently and effectively, but also equitably, is to identify a worthy charity to support that is equipped to provide boots-on-the-ground aid to all the victims of a disaster.
Watch the story below and visit CharityWatch's list of Top-Rated charities providing relief to victims of Hurricane Ian.