The capacity of people to give never ceases to amaze me.
In Washington, D.C., Donnie Simpson, a local radio personality, recently helped raise funds for the American Red Cross’ tsunami relief efforts. Listeners were encouraged to donate a minimum of $100 for a song request or shout-out (that’s just a hey to somebody).
Simpson went on the air at 6 a.m. and 12 hours later had raised $70,000, mostly from just regular working folk.
“I don’t think any of us expected that much,” said Reggie Rouse, Simpson’s producer and operations manager for WPGC-FM.
The Indian Ocean tsunami has claimed more than 147,000 lives so far. The United Nations has said this is the largest natural disaster it has faced in its 60-year existence.
If you haven’t already given, I would like to encourage you to help the millions of people who are in need. If you want to give (and cash is best) but you’re not sure which organization to give to, start with a list compiled by the U.S. Agency for International Development. It can be found online at www.usaid.gov.
You might also contact the Center for International Disaster Information at 703-276-1914 or at www.cidi.org.
However, please be careful if you do plan to give. Every major disaster unearths con artists who prey on people’s philanthropic good will.
USAID warns that many nonregistered, unofficial “relief agencies” begin collecting cash donations they claim are used for disaster victims, but of course aren’t.
The FBI and local and state law enforcement agencies have already begun to issue alerts about relief aid fraud.
The FBI reports that Web sites have been established that pretend to represent legitimate relief organizations asking for donations. One of these sites will infect your computer with a virus if accessed.
People have also begun to receive unsolicited e-mails requesting that money be deposited in overseas banks to support the tsunami relief efforts. Others offer, for a fee, to locate loved ones who may have been a disaster victim.
If you have received such e-mails, forward them to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
Before you give, follow these tips offered by the FBI, BBB Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org), the Association of Fundraising Professionals, USAID and other government and local law enforcement offices:
* When contributing, give the organization a check or money order made out to the name of the charitable organization, not to an individual collecting the donation.
* Be particularly wary of telemarketing calls asking for donations. Ask what percentage of your donation will go directly to help victims. Typically, a majority of the money raised is paid to the professional telemarketers and only a small portion actually goes to the charity. Send your donations directly to the charity instead.
* If you decide to contribute online, find out more about the charity before making a contribution. For example, some charities imitate the name and style of a well-known organization in order to confuse people.
* If you give online, look at the organization’s URL in the browser window. Exercise caution if the domain name is hidden, is not familiar to you, or is not the same as the one stated in the text of the link.
* Even if you get a call from what seems to be a legitimate charity, don’t just give on the spot. Instead, independently obtain the charity’s telephone number and call in your donation. That will assure you are dealing with the real group.
* Watch out for excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations. Don’t give any money to an organization that offers to send someone immediately to your home or office to pick up a check. That’s usually a sign of fraud.
* Be cautious of organizations that have been formed just for tsunami relief. These groups may be well intended but may lack the infrastructure to provide direct services to victims.
* Be suspicious of callers and organization that talk about having a tax ID number. Lots of organization have tax ID numbers but that does not mean they are legitimate charities.
* If want to make sure your donation is tax deductible, it should be given to a U.S.-based charitable organization that is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Go to IRS Publication 78 on www.irs.gov for a current list of all organizations eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable gifts. And if you make a donation by Jan. 31 you will be able to claim a deduction on your 2004 tax return under legislation passed by Congress on Thursday. The bill has been sent to President Bush.
Most important, give when you can.
“If you are unable to contribute at this time, relief charities will welcome your donation next week and next month,” says Art Taylor, president and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. “Organizations will be addressing a variety of activities in the weeks to come, as the needs of relief victims change.”
It’s wonderful if you plan on giving to help tsunami victims, but don’t give without thought. Do a little digging. Make sure your donation gets to a legitimate group.
Washington Post Writers Group
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