HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The Sunshine State is bracing for Hurricane Milton as piles of debris line the streets of Sarasota following the previous storm.
Hurricane Helene devastated the area just 12 days earlier.
Watching the destruction from hundreds of miles away, many feel compelled to express their support in the form of monetary donations.
“These are terrible times, and we want to make sure the people who deserve those donations are the ones getting it,” said Hayley Meyers, who’s with the Better Business Bureau.
Consumer advocates encourage people to research before donating to charities on the spot.
The BBB recommends:
- Verify the Charity – Always check out a charity before donating. Use trusted sites like BBB Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org), Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org), or FEMA’s Volunteer and Donate page (fema.gov).
- Donate Directly – Avoid unsolicited donation requests on social media or email. Visit the charity’s official website to make your contribution.
- Use Credit Cards – Credit cards offer added protection against fraud. Avoid sending cash or using payment apps like Venmo or CashApp for donations.
- Verify the Charity’s track record
Meyers said one red flag to look out for is any organization claiming 100% of the proceeds will go toward the hurricane survivors or victims.
“Look out for claims that 100% of the donations will go towards the victims,” Meyers said. “That’s a buzzword that scammers may try to use to make you believe their charitable organization is one you can trust. In most cases, [organizations] they do need to take a portion of the funds to pay for fundraising costs and administrative fees.”
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