How to Donate
While all donations are appreciated, CASH IS BEST. You can donate directly to our great member organizations that activate in disaster. Cash allows organizations to have flexibility to purchase resources needed as the situation on the ground unfolds. You can find a list of our member organizations here.
Do not send or bring unsolicited donations. In the early stages of the response phase, most organizations are unable to accommodate any material goods. Unsolicited donations create a challenge of storage and sorting when focus is needed on response and recovery.
Cash is Best
Cash offers VA VOAD members the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources. Organizations typically prefer cash donations because they allow our members to:
- Purchase food, water, medicine, and equipment from secure and familiar supply chains
- Buy materials locally. This can help rebuild the local economy
- Conserve resources. Money is always necessary and cheap to send, but the cost to ship material supplies can be expensive.
- Remember, material supplies such as used clothing, miscellaneous household items, and mixed or perishable food require helping agencies to redirect volunteer labor away from providing direct one-on-one assistance to sort, package, transport, warehouse, and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.