BBB: Giving tips for relief efforts in Israel and Gaza
This past Saturday, Hamas militants from Gaza launched a surprise attack against towns in southern Israel, including a music festival. Media sources report there were more than 900 deaths, over a thousand wounded, and more than 100 Israeli hostages being taken. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas, sent airstrikes into Gaza on Sunday, more than 600 Palestinians were killed. For those seeking to help victims and families impacted by this crisis, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following giving tips and list of BBB Accredited Charities soliciting for relief efforts.
• Can the charity get to the impacted area? Not all relief organizations will be positioned to provide relief quickly. See if the charity already has a presence in Israel or Gaza.
• Are you alert to possible social media scams? Scammers recognize the emotional motivation to help in response to emergency situations. Be wary of responding to appeals without taking the opportunity to verify the trustworthiness of the social media source or the specified charity.
• Should you send clothing and food? Local drives to collect clothing and food to send overseas may not be practical as the logistics and timing to deliver and disperse such items will be challenging. Relief organizations are better equipped to obtain what is needed, distribute it effectively and avoid duplication of effort.
• Is the charity experienced in providing emergency relief? Experienced disaster relief charities are the best bet to help deliver aid as soon as possible. New entrants may have difficulty in following through even if they have the best of intentions.
• Are you considering crowdfunding appeals? If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust, keeping in mind that some crowdfunding sites take measures to vet posts, others don’t. If the poster claims they will forward funds to a specified charity, consider visiting the charity’s website on your own and giving to them directly after having checked them out.
• Are you cautious about “100%” claims in appeals? Charities have fundraising and administrative expenses. If a charity promotion claims that all funds collected will be used for relief, see if there is an explanation about how they are able to do this. Even a credit card donation will have a processing fee. For more on this topic, click HERE.
The following is a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability). Please note that some of these charities are focused on relief efforts taking place in Israel, Gaza or both areas. Each report includes a link to the respective website of the organization that provides a description of their activities. This list will be expanded as additional BBB Accredited relief organizations come to its attention.
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
• Anera
• Helping Hand for Relief and Development
• International Rescue Committee
About BBB
BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles and BBB Wise Giving Reports®, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is a difference in viewpoints. For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping consumers find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. Better Business Bureau Serving West Florida is one of many local, independent BBBs across North America that provide business profiles on companies within its 11 county service area. These counties include: Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, Desoto, Charlotte, Lee and Collier.
To contact BBB Serving West Florida about this release please call Bryan Oglesby 727-530-4651 or boglesby@bbbwestflorida.org.
Source: Better Business Bureau