Tips for lending a helping hand
It never fails. Shortly after a tragedy strikes here in the United States or abroad, Caitlin Driscoll said someone tries to take advantage of the situation.
“With every kind of tragedy or natural disaster, we see some kind of scheme,” said Driscoll, the public relations director for the Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania. “They come out of the woodwork.”
While Driscoll said the Better Business Bureau is unaware of any schemes in the immediate aftermath of the Philippine typhoon, she said it is only a matter of time before they start to get complaints.
“Historically, we know it is bound to occur,” she said.
To ensure your donation will go to the cause of your choice and not someone’s pocket, Driscoll asks Pennsylvania residents to donate wisely.
“While we don’t offer recommendations (referring to organizations to make donations to), we inform and educate so that they can make educated decisions,” Driscoll said.
The Better Business Bureau asks contributors to do their research prior to donating, be aware of red flags such as solicitors or organizations requesting cash donations, and to resist high-pressure pitches.
Additional tips and informations can be found at www.give.org or by calling 877-267-5222. Driscoll said contributors can also run the charity of their choice through the Internal Revenue Service or the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Charities Online Database.
One local charity, Brother’s Brother Foundation in Pittsburgh, has been busy collecting donations for the relief efforts in the Philippines. Vice President Karen Dempsey said it is important for contributors to be informed when choosing a charity to make a donation with.
“Everyone wants to make sure their money is being used efficiently,” she said.
Dempsey said BBF has been working in the Philippines for the last 30 years. She said current donations will go to fund the purchase of pharmaceuticals, shipping costs and to send doctors to the area.
“It was a huge disaster,” she said. “It has already been compared to Haiti.”
Dempsey said the BBF is backed by the Better Business Bureau and has been highlighted by Forbes Magazine as one of five all-star charities in 2012. Donations to BBF can be made online at www.brothersbrother.org or by calling 412-321-3160.