RALEIGH, N.C. (January 9, 2024) – As reported, strong winds fueling a fast-moving fire in Southern California have caused structures and homes to be destroyed and many people to lose power and evacuate their homes. For those seeking to help those in need, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips to give thoughtfully.
“Any time there is a natural disaster or other tragedy, scammers try to use it to take advantage of people trying to help,” said Mallory Wojciechowski, president and CEO of BBB. “In order to ensure your donations are going to actually help people in need, make sure to do your research before supporting charities and nonprofits.”
Tips for Donating to Southern California Wildfire Relief Efforts
Make Sure the Charity Is Trustworthy: Before giving, search for the charity’s report on Give.org to find out if the charity meets the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., a BBB Accredited Charity). While disaster fundraising has not yet fully emerged for this tragedy, donors might check with the following BBB Accredited Charities to help start their selection of organizations offering help: American Red Cross, Direct Relief, GlobalGiving and Salvation Army.
Look for Specific Fire Relief Activities in Appeals: Be wary of relief appeals that have vague program descriptions and do not explain what activities your support will assist.
Watch Out for Click-Bait and Phishing Scams: Online giving scams tend to pop up after a disaster to take advantage of public sympathy. Don’t click on email, text, or social media links promising to connect you to a familiar charity. Instead, go directly to the charity’s website on your own.
Review Crowdfunding Requests: Some crowdfunding sites take precautions in carefully screening, vetting, and managing postings after a disaster or tragedy. Others might not. If unsure, review the procedures described on the site and also find out about transaction fees and other specifics.
Verify Charity Registration: About 40 of the 50 states require charities to annually register. Check with your state’s office of the attorney general or secretary of state’s office.
Understand the Phases of Disaster Relief: Most disasters go through three periods of activity: rescue, relief, and recovery. Each phase involves different activities and support. You can familiarize yourself with each phase on our Supporting Disaster Relief and Preparedness page.
We hope this advice will help donors to give with confidence while avoiding questionable efforts.
For more information about BBB, visit BBB.org.
About BBB Wise Giving Alliance
BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org) is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of nationally-soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, effectiveness reporting, finances, fundraising, appeal accuracy, and other issues. BBB’s Give.org produces national charity reports, and local Better Business Bureaus produce local charity reports – all reports are available at Give.org.
About BBB of Eastern Carolinas
Better Business Bureau serving Eastern Carolinas is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation serving 48 counties in North and South Carolina. The organization is funded primarily by BBB Accredited Business fees from over 5,200 local businesses and professional firms. BBB promotes integrity, consumer confidence and business ethics through business self-regulation in the local marketplace. Services provided by BBB include reports on companies and charitable organizations, general monitoring of advertising in the marketplace, consumer/business education programs and dispute resolution services. All services are provided at no cost to the public, with the occasional exception of mediation and arbitration. Visit BBB.org.
