Our friends at Smartgivers.org have posted a few wonderful tips on finding safe charitable giving opportunities in response to the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti.

The impact of Chile’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday and the ongoing devastation from Haiti’s earthquake continue to yield tragic loss of lives, thousands of missing people and widespread destruction in affected areas.  

The Charities Review Council offers the following tips on smart giving during disasters and how to exercise caution when responding to disaster-relief appeals:

• Types of support: The best assistance is a financial donation to a relief organization already operating in the affected area.  Do not send goods to an organization unless specifically requested.
• When researching where to send a gift, consider the following:
  • Is the organization legitimate? If an organization is calling you, be wary. Established disaster-relief organizations are often too busy to implement a direct phone campaign during times of disaster.  Don’t be afraid to say “no” over the phone and then contact the organization directly yourself. 
  • Are you confident the organization has the infrastructure and capacity to put your donation to good use?
  • Check out organizations at the Charities Review Council online Giving Guide.

...Read the full post at www.smartgivers.org.