This past hurricane season, numerous hurricanes hit the southern United States and the Caribbean. Houston, Texas; Puerto Rico, and some parts of Florida received most of the damage and it was heartbreaking to watch. With such devastation, I knew I wanted to donate to organizations to help somehow, but I didn’t know where to start. I wanted my money to go to places that would actually help out those in need. After some research, I found some websites that helped me decide where to donate to the greater good.
Image courtesy of Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator is the perfect way to find organizations or to get background information on any charities you might be considering donating to. When you select a charity, Charity Navigator will give you an overall rating for the charity as well as a breakdown for how much of your money will go to the administrative funds and how much will go to the program funds, which are the services that it will provide to those in need. So, to start with searching for an organization to donate to, Charity Navigator is the perfect tool that will give you all of the information you need.
If you don’t have the time to do as much research on different organizations, these groups are trusted and will make sure that your money will go where it’s most needed.
United for Puerto Rico is an organization that is sponsored by the First Lady of Puerto Rico herself, Beatriz Rosselló. She has teamed up with other large corporations such as Coca-Cola, Burger King, Microsoft, and Walmart in order to bring all of the necessities that the people in Puerto Rico need. Personally, this is where I donated my money because I felt that since the First Lady of Puerto Rico endorses this organization, I knew that my money would be used resourcefully.
Image courtesy of American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is also an amazing organization to donate to. With a rating of three out of four stars on Charity Navigator, the American Red Cross has been a reliable source for donating for many years. When you go to donate, you can decide if you would like to donate to those affected by Hurricane Irma, Maria, or Harvey. Or, you can donate a small amount to all. There are also options to donate to “Disaster Relief”, which will help those affected by disasters, no matter how big or small.
Like the American Red Cross, UNICEF has a three out of four star rating on Charity Navigator. UNICEF is an organization that is renowned for the work they do that helps children affected by disasters and those in need. Some of the current situations they are helping with are the children of the Rohingya Refugees and trying to protect children in impoverished countries from polio. As for hurricane relief, they currently have two different donation options. One helps the children in Puerto Rico and they also have a “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” that donates money to all children that have been affected, including those in the Caribbean and U.S. territories. Either of those donations will make a huge difference to the families of those in need.
Remember, do your research when it comes to finding organizations and wherever you choose to contribute your money, know that you are supporting families who need a helping hand.
Cover Photo Courtesy of Smithsonian Campaign