The scale of the typhoon disaster in the Philippines is horrifying 鈥� 2,500 feared dead, cities destroyed, millions homeless and without food, water and medicine. It鈥檚 a situation that sparks a tremendous urge to help in some way.
For those of us safely at home on Vancouver Island, there鈥檚 only one way to help 鈥� send money.
When tragedy strikes, well-intended people rush to send donations of clothing, teddy bears, food and other items to victims, but too often, their generosity adds to the burden, rather than helping.
Relief workers trying to cope with the results of the 2011 Japanese earthquake complained of receiving too many blankets and items of clothing. Kind but unthinking donors sent shipments of fuzzy hats, winter clothing and scarves to countries afflicted by the 2004 Pacific tsunami, useless items in a tropical climate.
After the sa国际传媒icut school shootings in 2012, the town of Newtown was flooded with tens of thousands of teddy bears, filling a 20,000-square-foot warehouse, turning the sentimental but illogical stuffed-toy craze into a macabre parody.
It would be useless to try to send materials to the Philippines. For most items, the cost of freight will exceed the value of the donations. Better to send money through a registered and reputable relief agency such as the Red Cross. Watch for scams 鈥� there鈥檚 no tragedy so terrible it can鈥檛 be made worse by greed.
Money might not seem as warm and fuzzy as a teddy bear or a blanket, but it鈥檚 the gift that will do the most good.
