bubblebabble: how...?

Geek with a Conscience (

bubblebabble) wrote,
@ 2004-12-29 08:13:00

how...?
I've been seeing a number of posts about how to donate to the relief effort. The only organization that I'd totally trust is AFSC, the service committee/progressive support and activism organization affiliated with the Quakers. I'm not sure why they're being left off the lists -- I saw them first in a Boston Metro article (I believe it's on page 2, but appears to be a corrupt PDF -- use care when opening with IE) but then nowhere since.

Their website says they're still very much soliciting, coordinating, and distributing donations. So what moved them out of the "accepted organizations" list? Are they seen as a biased religious organization? (Which I'd strongly disagree with -- their actions show religious bias about as much as Amnesty International might.) Or has the list grown, and since they're no longer the first to be included in the list, they're seen as a bit player?

Any thoughts on a trustworthy organization? Note: I'm not suggesting that other aid organizations are corrupt, but that they may not have the experience or careful approach necessary to make sure that all the money ends up helping, and not in the pocket of corrupt government officials or some such.

Update: There's no vast right-wing conspiracy here (or, if there is one, it's moderately ineffective on this count)...I think I'm just looking at the wrong lists. :-)

(Post a new comment)

	porcinea 2004-12-29 02:15 pm UTC (link)
	They're on the NYTimes list that moominmuppet just posted. And thanks for the recommendation; I wasn't sure who to pick. (Reply to this)

docorion
2004-12-29 02:26 pm UTC (link)

I've become a fan, over the years, of Direct Relief, mostly because I know some of the (ER) docs who work with them, and trust them when they tell me that aid is closely linked to the people actually in need (often escorted by said docs to it's destination). The docs are volunteers. http://www.directrelief.org.

One outfit I wouldn't touch with even an eleven foot pole is UNICEF. Tastes great (when you donate); less filling (to the people actually in need, as much of the money is absorbed by overhead and 'administrative' costs).

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	bubblebabble 2004-12-29 06:38 pm UTC (link)
	interesting. I've heard really good things about Doctors without Borders. How do you think the two compare? thanks for the UNICEF note. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

docorion
2004-12-30 12:20 am UTC (link)

I've heard the same things that you have; I don't, though, think of MSF (Medecins sans Frontieres, which is how I parse Doctors without Borders in my head) as a charitable organization which sends aid, more as one which sends doctors. This could be entirely wrong, of course. DRI sends materiel, as well as occasionally doctors.

I've considered working for MSF-may still, sometime, if I retire early enough.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	magid 2004-12-29 02:56 pm UTC (link)
	AFSC was included on the list of organizations accepting donations in yesterday's article in the Houston Chronicle. I looked at a couple of organizations' websites yesterday, and though I don't care for the name, Mercy Corps sends 91% of the money on to where it's needed (ie, 9% for overhead and everything else). (Reply to this)(Thread)

	bubblebabble 2004-12-29 06:37 pm UTC (link)
	I don't trust that, though. Nonprofits live and die by overhead figures -- lots of creative counting takes place to consider more of the money "program expenditures" versus overhead. More importantly, what does "to where it's needed" mean? Does their definition jibe (?) with mine? How good are they at meeting that? And at reviewing/correcting for any problems? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magid 2004-12-29 07:02 pm UTC (link)
	Well, you can check them out (here: Mercy Corps). Oh, and I'm personally unwilling to give any money to the Red Cross, since they refuse to include Magen David Edom in their international group (but let a variety of Red Crescent organizations in). (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	slinkr 2004-12-30 03:03 am UTC (link)
	I made a donation through American Jewish World Service because they were at the top of the Boston Globe's where-to-donate list and after reading that Sri Lanka had declined assistance from Israeli relief workers I wanted to make my contribution through a Jewish organization. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	PS magid 2004-12-29 07:56 pm UTC (link)
	charitynavigator gives them a decent rating, if that helps. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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