Date: 08-28-2017
BBB and Give.org offer tips on helping Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey
Arlington, Va. – The Better Business Bureau and BBB Wise Giving Alliance are advising people to help as much as they can in the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, but to do so with caution and make sure their donations get to the people who need it most.
“The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey prompts us to do what we can to help as soon as possible,” H. Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org,) said in a news release, “but donors need to be aware of some key cautions so that their generosity will get to those in need quickly.”
The National Weather Service reports that Hurricane Harvey has brought over 20 inches of rain to portions of southeast Texas and the volume of flooding is unprecedented for this area. And, another 15-25 inches of rain is anticipated in the days to come. As the impact of this storm on Texas communities is heart wrenching, many will seek to contribute to help those in need.
BBBs are already seeing crowdfunding appeals of a dubious nature, and in the days ahead expect to see “storm chasers” looking to make a quick buck off of clean-up efforts (bbb.org/storm). Consumers can report suspected scams to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) or the Texas Attorney General’s hotline (800-621-0508 or consumeremergency@nag.texas.gov).
The following is a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., organizations that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) that are raising funds for Hurricane Harvey relief assistance. This list will be updated as additional relief efforts come to BBB WGA’s attention.
American Red Cross
AmeriCares
Church World Service
Direct Relief
GlobalGiving Foundation
Humane Society of the United States
Islamic Relief USA
MAP International
Operation USA
Salvation Army
Save the Children
United Methodist Committee on Relief
United Way of Greater Houston
Kentucky Press News Service
