Last Friday, tornadoes and severe storms hit communities in Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana resulting in over two dozen deaths. For those seeking to help those in need by making charitable contributions, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following advice.

Tips for Smart Giving After the Tornadoes

• Identify groups that can provide fast assistance. See if the disaster relief charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. Unless they already have staff there, it may be difficult to provide quick assistance. Check if their website describes how they can address immediate needs.
• Be careful about in-kind assistance. Donating clothing, food or other in-kind donations may not be the best way to help unless the charity has the ability to properly distribute such aid. Ask about their transportation and distribution plans.
• Helping with shelter and immediate needs. Many individuals and families in impacted areas will seek safety in shelters and need access to food and water. Charities focused on such activities serve a vital role in helping communities address natural disasters.
• Consider crowdfunding requests. If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust. Also review the platform’s policies and procedures, keeping in mind that while some crowdfunding sites take significant measures to vet posts, others don’t.
• Understand the phases of disaster relief. While much of the attention focuses on the first 72 hours after a disaster, charities provide vital support well beyond that period. From immediate aid to long-term recovery and preparedness, your contributions help at every stage of rebuilding. Learn more on our disaster relief and preparedness cause page. 
• Verify the charity’s trustworthiness. Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a charity. We recommend giving to charities that meet all 20 of the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability found at Give.org. On Give.org we invite you to browse our A-Z list of national charities, and search thousands of charity reports while filtering charities by state, cause area, and accreditation status.