NEW YORK (AP) — The destruction and suffering caused by the Maui wildfires in Hawaii prompted many to immediately look for ways to help.
However, experts say immediate donations may not be the most useful following a natural disaster like the Maui wildfires. They suggest standing by a week or two until needs are assessed and support lines have been established. But they know that some people will not be able to wait.
READ MORE: Tourists urged to avoid Maui as hotels prepare to take in fire evacuees, first responders
Regine Webster, vice president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, generally recommended giving to organizations with deep local ties and knowledge of the affected communities.
"Wait a week, wait two weeks, to understand where the greatest needs are," Webster said. "Then, look toward organizations that are really meeting those needs, again, prioritizing organizations with specific disaster expertise and organizations that are local in nature."
Ways to donate
Experts recommend donating to nonprofits based on Hawaii that have provided rapid response services in the past.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement pledged to match donations — up to $100,000 initially, now increased to $1.5 million — for a campaign they began Wednesday, with initial support from the Alakaʻina Foundation Family of Companies. An online tracker shows that more than $1.8 million has been given from 10,000 people as of Monday.
Hawai'i Community Foundation has raised more than $17 million as of Friday for its Maui Strong Fund, which is "providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly." Though the foundation says its support will evolve, initially, it will focus on providing food, shelter and immediate financial assistance.
"Funding is focused on basic necessities, including sheltering families who have lost homes, food and clothing. We are humbled by the support and aloha shared locally and across the globe for Maui families," said Michelle Kauhane, the foundation's senior vice president, in a statement.
The foundation is collaborating with other nonprofits and government officials to assess immediate needs, she said.
The Maui United Way says all donations will "provide direct relief to families and nonprofits directly affected" by the wildfires, offering a place to donate and apply for help on its website.
Many national and international organizations have already deployed to Maui to help. So if you already donate to a group like World Central Kitchen or the American Red Cross, you can simply continue to donate to them.
The crowdfunding site GoFundMe has vetted hundreds of fundraisers for individuals and families who lost property or were injured in the fires, verifying the identities of the organizers and pledging to take additional verification steps before releasing the funds to the organizer.
As of Monday afternoon, GoFundMe said it had collected more than $22 million for those impacted by the Maui wildfires, from more than 175,000 people across all 50 U.S. states and 100 countries.
Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez warns donors to stay away from people rushing you to make a donation, asking you to donate with cash, gift card or on Cash App or Venmo. She also says to look for specifics about how your donation will be used.
Potential donors should also consider if it's important to them to claim a tax benefit for their donation. Only tax-exempt nonprofit organizations will provide a receipt that people who itemize their taxes can use to claim a deduction.
The Center for Disaster Philanthropy will launch a fund specific to the Hawaii wildfires that prioritizes equity in recovery, Webster said.
"We actually will wait several months before we understand the full range of needs that exist on Maui and other islands that are also facing wildfires," she said. "And we will not invest our funds until such time as we understand what those medium- and long-term needs are."
Can donations arrive too quickly?
Yes. The needs of those in an emergency situation are different from those rebuilding after a natural disaster.
The Most Reverend Larry Silva, the Catholic bishop of Honolulu, said many offered resources to those affected by the wildfires. "The problem at this point is getting supplies to those in need, since many evacuated to the West of Lahaina, where access from the rest of the island is extremely limited," he said in an email.
Donating home furnishings, for example, is very useful once families have been permanently relocated. However, at this point, when people are living in shelters, they are not useful and storing them creates costs and issues for nonprofits, especially on an island where storage space is limited.
Experts say donations tend to drop off after the initial burst of media attention ends, even though many of the needs of those affected haven't been met yet.
Waiting a few weeks also allows the government and nonprofits to figure out what rebuilding priorities have been funded and which haven't. Later donations can be used to fund programs addressing pressing needs.
How to avoid charity scams
- Determine whether the organization, nonprofit or group has a proven track record of delivering aid to those in need.
- Identify local initiatives and efforts that are based in the areas most affected by the natural disaster.
- Beware of phone calls and emails soliciting donations.
- Avoid unfamiliar agencies and websites. There is a history of scammers creating websites that look like donation pages after major tragedies.
AP reporters Thalia Beaty and Giovanna Dell'Orto contributed reporting from New York.