Good Samaritan Syndrome

It's been a rough start to 2011 for millions of people hit by natural disasters.  The aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti is still being felt, and will be felt for some time.  Australia is just starting to dry itself out from the massive floods that hit Brisbane and other parts of Queensland.  Brazil is reelling from the landslide that has flattened part of Rio de Janeiro.  And while all this is going on, many of you are opening your hearts and your wallets to support provide aid, reconstruction, medical assistance and general support.  But are we falling into a pattern of support that is inconsistent at best and harmful at worst?

What measures are being taken to protect the charitable investment that you have made?  How do you know when your money has made a difference?  For some organizations, like the Red Cross, they learned from past natural disasters and have stated that funds will be disbursed as needed and that they will be held in an account for (as the tsunami incindent has shown) several years. Did you know to look for this information?

In a CBC interview a few weeks ago (I tweeted about it) they reported that the best largest organization dealing with Haiti has been Doctors without Borders (MSF).  MSF has stated that they have rolled out a plan that not only addresses the immediate need, but also works with partnering agencies for long-term support, beyond the mandate of MSF (hence partnerships).

In Australia the floods have generated large, private, international support.  Remember, as a donor, you have limited protections around your donation.  In essence, it is "buyer beware."  Make sure you are donating to a legitimate charity - Canadian and US donors should be giving through a registered charity that has partnership and/or agency agreements with Australian organizations.  For a list of charity scams visit Scamwatch. 

North American donors have limited rights when it comes to their philanthropy.  In all cases, it is up to the donor to do their due diligence, and not up to the charity to protect the donors' interests. Below is a copy of the donor bill of rights, one of the first questions you should ask is whether a charity has adopted this Bill.

On behalf of all those whom you have supported, and the millions of people who will benefit from your generosity - Thank you!