When Giving Hurts More Than It Helps

One of the worst mistakes we can make is assuming we know exactly what other people need.

For example, when making charitable donations following natural disasters, many people use the following logic:

A group lost all of their clothes, food, and home; therefore, I should send my extra clothes, food, and supplies to that group.

On the surface, that feels incredibly generous. It feels like the right response — I am lucky that I am safe and secure, so I would like to share my resources.

However, I discovered that modern aid organizations are overwhelmed with donations that they cannot use. Why? Because the items donated don’t fit the actual needs of the situation.

According to this 2013 NPR report, about 60 percent of items donated after a crisis are unable to be used by those who need them. In one glaring example, the article describes a critical medical convoy that was unable to land due to too many unneeded donations already crowding the airport tarmac.

What, then, can we do instead? Send cash. The Center for International Disaster Information explains the concept thoroughly in their FAQs:

Unlike material donations, cash donations entail no transportation costs, no delays, no customs and other fees, and do not divert relief workers’ time to receive, sort, store and distributed unneeded materials. In addition, cash donations allow relief supplies to be purchased in markets close to the disaster site, which stimulates local economies by providing employment and generating cash flow. It also ensures that commodities are fresh and familiar to survivors, that supplies arrive expeditiously without incurring high transportation and storage costs, and that goods are culturally, nutritionally and environmentally appropriate. Few material donations can have an impact that is as beneficial, efficient or effective as a cash donation.

Give People What They Need

Of course, sending cash doesn’t feel nearly as good as sending a favorite shirt or bottle of water. But this illustrates the key difference between the two approaches:

Are you giving people what you think is best — or are you letting them tell you what they actually need?

It takes guts to admit that you don’t know everything, or that you might not actually know what’s right. The only way to avoid hurting more than helping is to let people tell you what they need.

In time, I hope that’s what I can do with this site, and I’d welcome any feedback you’d like to give in the comments. Until then, I’ll continue making cash donations to organizations like Kiva.org, and keep my canned goods and spare shirts at home.