Charitable
Organizations:
December 30, 2004 – Tsunami Devastates South Asia
In the wake of one of
the world’s worst natural disasters many people around the world
want to reach out to help in any way that they can. For most of us
that means donating money through a charitable organization. And
while that is a commendable action to take, we must also be wary of
people who would take advantage of this terrible tragedy for their
own benefit. Yes, there are those who would attempt to commit a
fraud using this disaster as an emotional tool. If you initiate a
contact with a charitable organization, we suggest that you find out
how much of your donation actually goes to the relief fund and find
out whether the organization is legitimate. If you begin to receive
unsolicited e-mails or phone calls asking for donations, check them
out first and never give your personal information or credit card
number in response. Here are a few tips and contacts to remember
when donating to the Tsunami relief fund or any other charity:
1.
Ask for written
documentation describing the charity’s program and finances.
2.
Never offer your
credit card number or any other personal information, like your
social security number, in response to an e-mail or telephone
solicitation.
3.
Check the charity out
at:
a.
www.give.org
b.
www.interaction.org
Here are a few agencies accepting
donations for the relief effort.
American Jewish World Service
45 West 36th St., 10th Floor
New York, NY 10018
800-889-7146
http://www.ajws.org
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC Crisis Fund)
1501 Cherry St.
Philadelphia, PA
215-241-7000
http://www.afsc.org
Catholic Relief Services
PO Box 17090
Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
800-736-3467
http://www.catholicrelief.org
Doctors Without Borders/Medicines Sans Frontier's
PO Box 2247
New York, NY 10116-2247
888-392-0392
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
American Red Cross International Services
285 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02116-5114
617-375-0700 ext. 277
800-564-1234 ext. 277
http://www.bostonredcross.org/
International Orthodox Christian Charities (Middle East Crisis
Response)
PO Box 630225
Baltimore, MD 21263-0225
877-803-4622
http://www.iocc.org
Oxfam
America/Asia Earthquake Fund
PO Box 1211
Albert Lea, MN 56007-1211
800-77-OXFAM
www.oxfamamerica.org
Save
the Children (Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund)
54 Wilton Rd.
Westport, CT 06880800-728-3843
www.savethechildren.org
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC-UUA Tsunami Relief
Fund)
130 Prospect St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-868-6600, ext. 230
www.uusc.org
US
Fund for UNICEF
333 East 38th St.
New York, NY 10016
http://www.unicefusa.org
World Relief
7 E. Baltimore St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
443-451-1900
http://www.wr.org
