Disaster Research expert Tricia Wachtendorf is available to discuss the best ways to help the communities devastated by Cyclone Pam
Tricia Wachtendorf is an expert from the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. She has worked in the field on events such as Hurricane Katrina, Sandy, the World Trade Center attacks as well as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
She is available for interview and has the following advice for those wishing to support the people of Vanuatu, left devastated by Cyclone Pam.
- As we see the devastation of Cyclone Pam break on the news, people naturally seek to help those in need.
- Decades of research and advice show that spontaneous giving of supplies such as clothes and food by well meaning individuals can be more harmful than helpful.
- Be it the 2010 Haiti earthquake or Hurricane Sandy that devastated the Mid-Atlantic a few years ago, donations of clothing clog the system and create challenging logistics issues.
- Monetary donations to an organization you trust, particularly one that has pre-existing connections to the affected area, can be used to purchase items in bulk for less money and closer to the communities in need (reducing transportation and storage costs).
- Monetary donations can be redirected to meeting new needs as they emerge.
- Those seeking to donate can check Charity Navigator for recommendations.
http://drc.udel.edu/about/faculty-staff/
Contact [email protected] or call 302 332 6264 to arrange an interview.
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