Earlier this week, a tornado struck the residents of Lee County, Alabama, leaving miles of destruction in its wake. In the aftermath, people want to help the recovery effort but they don't know where to start. For this purpose, I made a list of resources for those who want to help.
1. List of Local and National Organizations
Alabama Media Group compiled a list of local and national organizations that are responding to the victims of the tornado. Out of all the websites I looked at, this was the most comprehensive list of responding organizations and their needs. The list includes:
Information for volunteers
Donation drop-off centers
Items are needed
Organization's collecting donations
Find the full list of resources here: Alabama tornadoes 2019: How to donate money, supplies to help Lee County; what’s needed
2. Tips for Giving
Here are a few tips for giving to a charity:
Make sure they are legit organizations. Guidestar is an excellent resource to check out a charity. Often, Guidestar will provide links to their websites, financial information, and more.
Contact the charity and ask what to put in the description (of the check or online donation form) so it will help those impacted by the disaster.
Be careful with crowdfunding requests for disaster victims. Charity Navigator posted a great article about crowdfunding after disasters. It lists 4 questions to ask before you give to a crowdfunding campaign. Also, Charity Navigator is another great resource to check out a charity.
The Better Business Bureau has a list of tips on Disaster Relief Donations.
If you have a donor-advised fund at Legacy and want to donate to those impacted by the tornado, email Amanda at amanda@legacyglobal.org.
Legacy does not endorse any of the organizations listed.
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