If you follow the headlines during the annual Atlantic hurricane season, you know how quickly a weather system can transition from potentially hazardous to outright deadly.
That proved true with Hurricane Melissa. On October 16, it was an unnamed weather system moving off the west coast of Africa.
Just 11 days later, it was a raging Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful type of cyclone.
Melissa’s path has crossed Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas. It has moved past Bermuda into the central Atlantic. At least 59 people have lost their lives.
Maximum wind speeds have been clocked at 185 mph, the top end speed for an EF4 tornado.
Deliver Hope to Hurricane Melissa Survivors
Help provide immediate relief to those impacted by Hurricane Melissa through the Crisis Relief Fund.
With Melissa bringing widespread damage to communities in Jamaica and Cuba — with additional dangerous weather events in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Panama — how can you help people impacted by this kind of crisis when everything is continuing to develop?
A good strategy is to find a relief organization with a proven track record of responding to unexpected disasters.
If you’re considering a donation to such an organization, there are a few questions you can ask to guide your decision.
• Has this charity responded to similar disasters?
• Does the charity maintain the resources needed to mount an effective response?
• Does the charity publish clear data about a response, the people helped, and the resources distributed?
• Is the charity transparent in the overall use of its finances? When you visit their website, can you get a good idea of how your donation will be used?
If you research each of these areas carefully, you can often find a charity worthy of your trust.
As just one example, Convoy of Hope, a faith-based nonprofit, is a global charity headquartered in Missouri, with regional distribution centers in California and Georgia. You can research Convoy of Hope at convoyofhope.org and quickly find answers to each of the above questions.
Has Convoy of Hope responded to similar disasters?
Convoy’s first disaster response was to a near-hurricane event.In 1998, flooding in Del Rio followed that year’s Tropical Storm Charley.
Since the Del Rio response, Convoy has been onsite around the world in communities following hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, and other disasters.
Each year Convoy’s Disaster Services team closely monitors weather reports in the Atlantic and stays ready to respond when a system develops into a major storm.
Does Convoy maintain the resources needed to mount an effective response?
Each year, compassion-minded corporations donate hundreds of millions of dollars in resources to Convoy’s World Distribution Center in Missouri and its regional distribution centers in California and Georgia.
With a fleet of semitrucks and a team of professional volunteer drivers, Convoy can quickly send tons of needed resources to any disaster site across the country.
With a network of more than 30 program countries around the world, that distribution model operates globally as well.
Convoy’s Regional Distribution Center East is well positioned to quickly get resources to areas in the Caribbean or the Gulf impacted by hurricanes.
Does Convoy publish clear data about a response, the people helped, and the resources distributed?
Any visit to convoyofhope.org will quickly connect you with the latest data on Convoy’s responses.
For long-term responses, you’ll find news feeds stretching for months and including highlight videos and regular summaries of resource distributions.
Is Convoy transparent in the overall use of its finances?
When you visit their website, can you get a good idea of how your donation will be used?
Take a look at the digital issues of Hope Quarterly to find more information on key projects through the years as well as a clear breakdown of Convoy’s finances in each annual report issue.
Convoy has consistently applied more than 90 cents of every donated dollar to helping meet people’s needs. Disaster response represents a significant portion of that response.
When considering how you might support Hurricane Melissa victimes, ask these fundamental questions and research how a nonprofit would answer them.
Once you have satisfactory answers, you can donate with confidence knowing your kindness will help the maximum number of people most effectively.
Deliver Hope to Hurricane Melissa Survivors
Help provide immediate relief to those impacted by Hurricane Melissa through the Crisis Relief Fund.
