Donations for those affected by Fire

[trapp]

Here is a worthwhile read our son posted on social media from a friend relative to donations:
I'm sharing a rant from a friend who volunteered during the Slave Lake wildfire disaster. Before reading this I did not consider that donations could be an overwhelming burden. Please read and consider as you gather items for donation:

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For some reason this is my soap box topic:

Think before you rush to donate 'stuff' to relief efforts.

I was at the Athabasca reception center by 8am the morning of the Slave Lake Fire. There were already huge piles of garbage bags of 'stuff' to sort. It kept on coming for weeks and volunteers had to deal with it all. If you want to donate 'stuff':
- throw out the used underwear
- clean out the kitty litter that got spilled (yes, I was pregnant)
- remove and dispose of all items broken, stained or significantly worn out
- remove all items that would not be relevant to day to day use (aka Halloween costumes, ugly Christmas sweaters).

What you might do:
- Listen to requests for specific items
- sort your 'stuff'
- purchase new socks and underwear
- consider if you would select this 'stuff' if you had to select items from a bunch of others peoples stuff.
- support financially (I happen to think the Red Cross does great things, having worked in their offices I know they are prepared in ways and have processes for many scenarios. They had cots on the ground within hours of the call in Athabasca).

We all want to rush to do something. Please consider if your 'stuff' will be a burden.

Feel free to share.

End soapbox. All the best to the Fort McMurray community!
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My addition to this is one of the best ways to donate is through the Red Cross who are front and center when it comes to Wildfire Disasters:

https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/ac ... n.id=50639

[Donald G]

By donating to recognized charities you also escape the many criminal scammers who take advantage of such disasters and tragedies to con money out of people. That is especially true of door to door canvasing for money.

[davis123]

My addition to this is one of the best ways to donate is through the Red Cross who are front and center when it comes to Wildfire Disasters:

https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/ac ... n.id=50639

My suggestion would be donate to the local charities and avoid the Red Cross at all costs. Those impacted by a tragedy will see more of your donation through local charities then what they will see from the Red Cross. People should research the charity they are donating to so they make sure the Administration fee's are not taking up a huge chunk of the donation.

[pentona]

By donating to recognized charities you also escape the many criminal scammers who take advantage of such disasters and tragedies to con money out of people. That is especially true of door to door canvasing for money.

I am donating money through the Red Cross, ONLY. Why wouldn't I...if the Feds and Province will match the funds; that's a bonus. I don't think that every Tom Dick or Henrys that are accepting donations will be matching funds...unless they in turn, send it to the Red Cross.

[Donald G]

The Feds also match the donations through the Salvation Army who see that 100% of every donation goes to the people it is intended to help. The Red Cross deducts a large administration fee. The Salvation Army deducts nothing.

[rustled]

The Feds also match the donations through the Salvation Army who see that 100% of every donation goes to the people it is intended to help. The Red Cross deducts a large administration fee. The Salvation Army deducts nothing.

Good to know.

Years ago, we donated to the Red Cross's relief fund for an international disaster. Afterward, we discovered that donating for a specific purpose meant it had to be used for that purpose. Which of course makes sense, but in that instance they received more than enough donations for that cause and had other pressing needs our money could have been directed toward. And of course people had been very generous, so they received fewer general donations than they would have ordinarily received.

So if I were to donate to the SA, I'd want to let them put it to whatever disaster or other relief effort currently has the most need.

But if one does that, and if the SA decides the most needy disaster at the moment is the Ft Mac disaster, will the government match it even though we didn't specify that's what it was for?

[Donald G]

Good question rustled.

The donation that we made to the SA had to be forwarded to their head office so that it could be put with the Fort Mac "account" that the government promised to match.

[Donald G]

Good question rustled.

The donation that we made to the SA had to be forwarded to their head office so that it could be put with the Fort Mac "account" that the government promised to match.

[mexi cali]

My wife and I separately and together donated to the fund through the Red Cross, me on line and she at the checkout at a grocery store. More bang for the buck through the RC.

[rustled]

My wife and I separately and together donated to the fund through the Red Cross, me on line and she at the checkout at a grocery store. More bang for the buck through the RC.

I'm not sure that's true. If this is correct

The Feds also match the donations through the Salvation Army who see that 100% of every donation goes to the people it is intended to help. The Red Cross deducts a large administration fee. The Salvation Army deducts nothing.

is there something else about the RC that makes it of greater benefit?

[Bunnyhop]

People mean well but once again, donated supplies are either unsuitable or simply logistically inappropriate.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/canada/for ... -1.2898624