Can we set up a donation fund that members of OPM can donate to so that one check from OPM go towards the relief efforts?
What would be the advantage to the charities of doing that? The big ones are pretty well-equipped to take credit card donations online.
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Can we set up a donation fund that members of OPM can donate to so that one check from OPM go towards the relief efforts?
Nothing that we can do without some administrative costs if we take credit cards/paypal. I would suggest that people donate directly to the American Red Cross or other charitable agencies that are focusing on the troubles from the hurricane. As Denise mentioned, they are much better setup for these types of things.
I have been giving this a lot of thought, because I really want my money to go to actually providing what people need… for some reason, the notion that they’ll be setting up “classrooms” at the AstroDome has really stuck with me and if I lived anywhere nearby, I’d go to Staples, buy a mess of school supplies, and bring it right to them.
And I don’t know why, because I’ve never been averse to giving to major organizations before, but I just don’t want 30 cents of every dollar going to pay the phone bill or electric bill at some headquarters instead of going directly to the folks who so desperately need help.
So, I’ve been thinking on this all week. I don’t live in Houston but I DO have friends in both Little Rock and San Antonio, other cities with growing refugee camps. And their churches have gotten involved in helping families, so what I think we’re going to do is send donations directly to those community organizations where I know that volunteers are handling all the administration.
Please, everyone, be generous in whatever way you choose to give. Thanks!
Mary
The National Association of REALTORS has setup a relief fund. NAR is absobing all administration costs so 100% of donation is going to victims. After 9/11 they had a fund that paid 3-6 months rent/mortgage for affected families, also run by volunteers from the local associations. I assume that they will again pay for housing costs.
http://www.realtor.org/realtororg.nsf/pages/katrina