Emergency Assistance Programs: When it Comes to Emergency Financial Help, Charity Starts at the Top
March 18, 2015
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In an ideal world, every organization would offer charitable class members access to relief funds which can cover all the expenses that pop up in the wake of a natural or other disaster. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Even the healthiest relief funds can be stretched in the wake of disaster, leaving organizations struggling to make decisions about how to allocate finite funds to an overabundance of deserving charitable class members.
Under trying circumstances, it’s important to remember that no relief fund is going to be able to meet all the needs of every charitable class member who qualifies for a grant. That said, there are ways to ensure that the fund helps the highest number of charitable class members possible. One way is to lower the grant amounts being distributed to give money to more charitable class members. Even small amounts of money that cover the most basic needs can be helpful when facing severe financial hardship.
For large organizations operating in locations outside of the affected areas, holding an emergency donation drive is a way to increase the fund significantly in a short period of time. Making a personal plea on behalf of affected charitable class members can get donations flowing in record time. This also goes for high-level executives. Increasing personal donations or pledging to match team members donations, if not already a company practice, can help stretch every dollar. Finally, sometimes the needs of charitable class members facing hardship can be met in ways other than cash grants.
Victims of large-scale disasters are often in need of clothing, food, and other basic necessities that can be acquired through food and clothing drives or donations from local organizations. Organizations can help cover emergency shelter needs by providing temporary facilities for affected charitable class members. With some creativity, even funds that are stretched to the limit can be reconfigured, topped up, or used in creative ways to support those in need.
