As wildfires devastate Southern California, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers tips for Michiganders wanting to donate responsibly.
According to a news release, the BBB emphasizes the importance of ensuring that charities are trustworthy before making donations.
Donors are encouraged to research charities on Give.org to confirm if they meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
While fundraising efforts for wildfire relief are still developing, some BBB Accredited Charities include the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, GlobalGiving and The Salvation Army.
The BBB advises donors to 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,” the release stated.
Additionally, the BBB warns about the prevalence of online scams following disasters.
Volunteers at a donation center in Arcadia, CA put out items for victims of the devastating wildfires.
“Don’t click on email, text or social media links promising to connect you to a familiar charity or posts claiming to be endorsed by celebrities,” the release cautioned.
Instead, potential donors should go to the charity’s website directly and conduct thorough research.
When considering crowdfunding requests, the BBB suggests reviewing the site’s procedures and transaction fees.
GoFundMe, which is a BBB Accredited Business, has implemented a crisis response team to monitor fundraisers related to the wildfires.
They also have created a centralized hub for verified GoFundMe pages aimed at assisting affected individuals, families and businesses.
Where are mandatory evacuation orders today for California wildfires? See LA County maps
Understanding the phases of disaster relief also is crucial.
The BBB outlines that most disasters go through three periods: rescue, relief and recovery, each requiring different forms of support.
For more information, go to BBB.org.
BBB Serving Western Michigan operates as a nonprofit organization, promoting high standards for business practices across 38 counties.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: BBB: How to donate responsibly to California wildfire relief efforts