Disaster Volunteering During Coronavirus

Donate and Serve Wisely to Help Disaster Victims

The State of Maryland encourages everyone to contribute wisely towards disaster recovery efforts. Consider the following before you donate goods, money, or your time:

• Financial contributions are preferred.
• Cash donations help to avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing, transporting, and distributing donated goods, and voluntary relief agencies use cash to meet victims’ specific needs more quickly.
• Donate through an experienced organization.
• Relief agencies prefer the versatility of cash donations; however some have the infrastructure in place to store and distribute donated goods. To prevent waste, donations of goods should be made only to agencies that have requested specific items.
• Donors should be wary of anyone who claims that “everything” is needed. Many groups have been disappointed that their efforts and the goods they collected were not appreciated. A community hit by disaster, however, does not have the time, manpower, or money to dispose of unneeded donations. Get precise information before collecting any donated goods.
• In a community struggling to respond to and recover from a disaster, an influx of unexpected or unneeded voluteers and donations can make the process even more difficult. Before traveling to the disaster area to help, learn where and when your skills will be needed. Discuss with volunteer organizers how your needs for food, water and shelter will be met while you are volunteering.

Private and Nonprofit Agencies Active in Disaster Relief

Visit the Maryland Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for a list, here.

Visit Marylanders Serving Marylanders for critical donation needs, here.