Don’t just give; give well

If you’re new, read Part 1 first.

After sending the email below, I stumbled across a very similar post over at Good Intentions are Not Enough, so you can check that out too.

this isn’t the promised follow-up email–that’s still a few days away. rather, this is an addendum to yesterday: less-helpful disaster responses.  i was pretty committed to only offering positive advice, but i’ve gotten enough emails from folks asking about the issues below that a p.s. seemed worthwhile.

i know many of you are engaged in discussions with your community about coordinated responses; wanted you to have these points at your fingertips as you influence that process.

1. sending food or clothes is less helpful than sending money.

here’s the rule of thumb for ALL phases of disaster recovery: if the item in question is something that CAN be purchased nearby (in this case, in Haiti or the DR), then the cost of shipping it and the logistics of getting it distributed equitably and efficiently aren’t worth it (plus, buying local will help small businesses get back on their feet).  the only things that should be shipped are things that CANNOT be accessed from the disaster location (generators, surgical equipment, heavy machinery to remove rubble, etc.)

RIGHT NOW: large organizations and governments–who have the capacity to deliver literally TONS of food, water, tents, etc.–are the best route for those items.

however, if you feel really committed to food: focus on pop-tops and ready-to-eat foods.  if folks don’t have access to food, chances are they don’t have access to a can-opener or cooking fuel.

if you are absolutely committed to clothes: do a little research on haiti’s climate and think about what folks will actually need (underwear, t-shirts, and socks–not bathing suits and fancy dresses)

2. respond to specific needs from folks on the ground.

folks here might be willing to donate all kinds of stuff, but if it isn’t needed by someone managing operations there and integrated into their response plan, then it just muddles what is, essentially, a incredibly complex logistical effort.

3. if you don’t have concrete skills to offer, please do not try to go to haiti right now.

later on, in phase two, relatively unskilled people who are willing to follow directions and work hard will be really helpful.  right now, doctors (especially orthopedic surgeons–if you know any willing to go, please put them in touch with me!), nurses, folks who are fluent in creole, and logistics specialists (yes, that’s a real job category) are what is needed.  the rest of us should stay out of the way.  folks with expertise in disease outbreaks should be on stand-by–you’re up next.

4. finally, it’s ok to ask folks to be thoughtful about their response.

it’s ok to say, “i know donating X would be easy to get folks excited about and we already have a catchy slogan to match, but intentionally raising money now for X organization that will be involved in the long-term rebuilding effort is probably a more sustainable response and will complement some of the more crisis-oriented relief that many folks are engaged in.”

don’t just give, give well, and push other folks to do the same.

Jonas

Haiti: how to actually be helpful

Hi folks, apologies from both Flying Whale and I for being away for so long.  Real–and regular–posts soon, but for now, an email I sent out early this morning.

most of you know about my background in disaster relief–so while i clearly don’t know everything, and post-disaster areas are notoriously complex, i’ve got a few thoughts.

first, some guiding principles (this wording from Texas in Africa):
1. Donate to organizations with an established presence, quickly. The ability to charter helicopters, buy tarps, and distribute water is eased considerably if the organization has cash in hand.
2. Work with organizations that have local staff in leadership positions and who are empowered to make quick decisions on the ground.
3. Work with organizations that partner with local social institutions, like houses of worship or community organizations. These groups’ social networks and language skills mean that they’re quickly able to identify specific problems and solutions, make lists of victims, and respond to traumatized populations in culturally-relevant ways.

for folks who want to give and have impact now, i’m suggesting MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and Partners in Health because both have in-country staff, strong in-country relationships, and a fantastic track record.  unlike in many other countries, MSF was already an important part of haiti’s healthcare infrastructure, so they aren’t outsiders to the degree that they sometimes are.  also, MSF’s main building was destroyed, so they’ll be in particular need of cash, fast.

that said, PIH and MSF are going to max out their capacity at some point, and then we’ll need to bolster their efforts by supporting smaller, less-well-known groups.  unfortunately, those groups haven’t emerged yet–it’ll depend on who still has able staff. so, you might consider holding off for a few days to wait and see who they are–figuring that most folks are going to give immediately to the big-name organizations they can easily trust.

or you might consider looking ahead to longer term recovery.  my main suggestions on that front at this point are Catholic Relief Services and Architecture for Humanity.  CRS has been in haiti for 50 years and will likely be one of the long-term recovery partners (in addition to crisis response right now).  giving them some support on the front end will make their planning for the next year better.  AFH will be focused on the rebuilding effort.  they’ve got a long history with haiti and frankly, they just do good work.  i’d encourage folks to think long-term while this is still dominating our thoughts.

finally, if you have connections to a faith-based or community-based group that you KNOW is doing EFFECTIVE, EMPOWERING work and still has on-the-ground capacity, i’d recommend giving to them as well.  they’ll be able to be more nimble than some of the larger organizations and, like i said earlier, can support the Red Cross, Mercy Corp, PIH, MSF, etc. once the bigger organizations’ capacity is reached.

I’m sending a second email–which I will also post here–once those “less-well-known” groups emerge.

Jonas