Earthquake Relief in Chile

Once again, our clients have turned to Foundation Source to assist them with selecting reputable and effective charities to donate to in order to assist those suffering as a result of the recent 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile. We continue to base our selections on an objective set of criteria (see below) that we used to analyze 22 organizations involved in disaster relief and derive our final list of six. Our clients can be assured that these organizations will make swift, effective use of donations.

The selections are not intended as indirect commentary on the skills, ability, or reputation of the organizations not included, nor do they reflect personal bias or opinions of Foundation Source or its staff. Our goal is to provide our clients with an objective assessment of past and present performance based on the following criteria:

• The organization has been listed as a recommended charity for this disaster by at least two of the following: Network for Good, CNN, American Institute for Philanthropy, InterAction and Charity Navigator.
• The organization is already working “on the ground” or has long-term partnerships with established organizations in stricken areas of Chile. The organization has been awarded an exceptional rating by the American Institute for Philanthropy, the Better Business Bureau, and Charity Navigator.
• Historically, a minimum of 85% of donations received go directly to programs and field services rather than fundraising, administrative costs, or other non-program expenses.
• The organization is recognized by the IRS as a public charity

Recommended Charities

AmeriCares
EIN: 06-1008595
www.americares.org

AmeriCares rapid response team is coordinating the delivery of critical medicines and medical supplies to help earthquake survivors. AmeriCares has $1.5 million in medical aid in the pipeline available for immediate Chile relief.

AmeriCares relief efforts are focused on providing medical aid including antibiotics, infection control items and surgical equipment. With regard to health care, the most serious problems have occurred in southern Chile, where six hospitals collapsed and two others were damaged severely and left unable to function.

Operation USA
EIN: 95-3504080
www.opusa.org

Los Angeles-based International relief agency Operation USA will send emergency aid, most likely medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and equipment, to Chile as necessary as part of the relief efforts following the earthquake.

Save the Children
EIN: 06-0726487
www.savethechildren.org

Save the Children’s emergency team will arrive in the area affected by the 8.8-magnitude quake on Tuesday. They will assess children's needs and meet with government officials, local partners and other agencies to coordinate efforts. Save the Children has released funds from its Children’s Emergency Fund to support the deployment of staff and any initial response, which could include child-protection programs to keep children safe and education programs enabling their quick return to school. If needed, the response could also include providing psychosocial support to children and providing families with blankets and hygiene kits. The agency currently works with local partners in Chile, addressing children’s protection and education needs.

There are many more charities and disaster response agencies mobilizing to support Chile that have been recommended by multiple reputable sources. The following is a short list of these organizations that also have been awarded an exceptional rating by the American Institute of Philanthropy or Charity Navigator:

American Red Cross

Catholic Relief Services

International Medical Corps

Salvation Army

World Vision International

In considering how you might contribute to disaster relief in Chile, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• First and foremost, provide unrestricted general funding to allow resources to go where they are most urgently needed.
• Consider allocating a portion of your contribution for immediate relief and reserving some funds to see what important recovery needs emerge once the dust settles and after a few months and then use that reserve to fill critical gaps in underfunded areas like reconstruction, the rebuilding of individual lives and communities and disaster prevention.
• Donate cash assistance over donated goods since it gives agencies maximum flexibility to meet the highest priority needs and can be used to purchase required items in the disaster-affected area, thereby injecting cash into the local economy while minimizing transport costs.
• Donated goods, such as medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, can be helpful, provided they respond to specific requests; are coordinated with local organizations for transportation, storage and distribution; and are clearly labeled in the appropriate local language(s).
• Individual donations of food, clothing and household items arrive far too late, are often inappropriate, and can clog limited local transport, storage and distribution capacities. In general, these should be discouraged.
• Direct funding to support vulnerable populations who often suffer the most in disasters, including marginalized or low-income populations and pregnant women, children, the elderly and disabled people.
• Effective logistics are key in a disaster response and yet are often under-resourced. Consider funding technology, systems and processes to mobilize people and resources including inventory tracking, last stage delivery and end-use monitoring of goods distributed to promote more effective relief operations.

Sources:

• Council on Foundations and European Foundation Centre: Disaster Grantmaking: A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations, 2007.
• New York Regional Association of Grantmakers: Best Practices in Disaster Grantmaking – Lessons from the Gulf Coast, 2006.