After the Disaster
The Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security often receives questions about support after disasters around the country and world. Montgomery County continues to work with our state partners at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to address incoming requests related to specific disaster response and needs. We've compiled this page to help answer any questions you may have about donating or volunteering after disasters.How You Can Help
When disaster strikes, every little bit helps. To make the most of your contributions, please use these guidelines to learn the most effective and safest ways to donate cash, goods, or time following a disaster.
- Cash is best. Financial contributions
to recognized disaster relief organizations are the fastest, most flexible, and most effective method of donating. Organizations on the ground know what items and quantities are needed, often buy in bulk with discounts and, if possible, purchase through area businesses which supports economic recovery. - Confirm donations needed. Critical needs change rapidly – confirm needed items BEFORE collecting; pack and label carefully; CONFIRM delivery locations; ARRANGE transportation. Unsolicited goods that are NOT needed burden a local organizations’ ability to meet survivors’ confirmed needs, drawing away valuable volunteer labor, transportation, and warehouse space.
- Connect to volunteer. Trusted organizations operating in the affected area know where volunteers are needed, and can ensure appropriate volunteer safety, training, and housing. Please DO NOT self-deploy to the area.
Tips for Donating Cash
A financial contribution to a recognized disaster relief organization is the most effective donation to make. When the public supports these voluntary organizations with financial contributions, it helps ensure a steady flow of important services to the people in need after a disaster.
- Cash offers voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources and pumps money into the local economy to help businesses recover.
- Most needed and the most efficient way of helping those impacted by disaster.
- Allow voluntary organizations to fund response and recovery efforts, obtain goods and services locally, and provide direct financial assistance to disaster survivors to meet their own needs.
- Make a financial contribution to the voluntary organization of your choice.
- If you need help in determining who to give to, the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website has a list of major non-profits active in disaster work.
- The Federal Trade Commission has also offered advice for How to Donate Wisely and Avoid Charity Scams.
Tips for Donating Goods
Confirm what is needed BEFORE taking action!
- Donate in-kind goods that are specifically requested or needed by recognized organizations.
- While people are well-meaning, management of unsolicited donations can often become “the disaster within the disaster” as response organizations get buried under mountains of clothing and other supplies.
- Unsolicited donated goods such as used clothing, miscellaneous household items, and mixed or perishable foodstuffs require helping agencies to redirect valuable resources away from providing services to sort, package, transport, warehouse, and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.
- Confirm the needs by contacting the voluntary organization of your choice before starting to collect.
Tips for Volunteering
Please DO NOT self-deploy to the area. Uncoordinated support will cause serious burden on the local response and recovery efforts.
- Do not self deploy until a need has been identified and the local community impacted has requested support. Wait until it is safe to travel to volunteer sites and opportunities have been identified. Once assigned a position, make sure you have been given an assignment and are wearing proper safety gear for the task.
- Volunteer with a recognized organization involved in disaster response and recovery prior to the next disaster event.
- Volunteer with a non-profit organization and be trained before the next event to find meaningful volunteer opportunities following a disaster.
- There are many organizations and faith-based groups in your community that have active disaster programs and need volunteers
- Potential volunteers are asked to register with a voluntary or charitable organization of their choice. The National and State VOAD websites often offer links to those who wish to register to volunteer with organizations working in the field. Search online for VOAD organizations associated with the state where you are interested in volunteering.