Managing Donations for Disasters

Donations and relief aids for Tsunami Disaster Victims (2004)

“Uncoordinated, uncontrolled masses of donated goods and volunteers can interfere with disaster operations and cause a secondary disaster”

Innocent thoughts ran through my mind as I hear about the amount of generous donations that came from an insane number of parties all over the world as well as local NGOs every time a disaster strikes in Indonesia. Little that I know, these resources without the proper management and coordination between the organizations that are involved can impose severe effects later for the respective country or area. 

There are two problems that may arise regarding poor donations and national volunteer management. Too many, and too little.

A good example that I got from Prof. Sulanto’s lecture was how thousands of help or medical aids received by local and international organization during the Acheh Tsunami, indeed caused billions of rupiahs to be spent by the government to assist in waste disposal in result of this. From this example, we know that a balance or regulation regarding this occurrence needs to be developed.

The National Volunteer and Donations management strategies stressed on a few key elements:

1.   Donations activities may begin before a disaster declaration: Coordinative efforts needs to be made to prevent difficult problems and misunderstandings later. Donations planning, coordination and management are necessary to avoid chaos, waste of time and effort that large shipments of undesignated goods can cause. This is also necessary towards addressing spontaneous, unaffiliated volunteers who arrived on-site at a disaster, ready to help. Because they are not associated with any part of the existing emergency management response system, their offers of help are often underutilized and even problematic to professional responders.

2.   Shipment of undesignated goods may be affected by state policies: During a catastrophic disaster, the state may impose policies that affect the transportation of all vehicles include shipments of goods. These policies should facilitate and not interfere with the shipments of the designated goods.

3.   State and local governments are in charge of donations operations: The government should address critical issues such as what procedures should be established at weigh stations, toll booths and other point of entry. The government also has a role in addressing a massage to the public regarding donated goods and volunteer services.

4.   State should make full use of existing voluntary agency capabilities: State and local donations management personnel should be very familiar with the strengths and interests of the voluntary organization, and other non-governmental organizations have a wide variety of abilities that can be fully used during a disaster.

5.   Use flexible strategies: Flexibility must always be used in disaster operations. There is no single correct way to manage unsolicited goods and spontaneous volunteers for all disasters. Other factors determining the appropriate approach will depend on the types of working relationships that are made between government emergency management personnel and voluntary agencies prior to a disaster.

6.   Use a team approach: While the government is responsible for certain critical issues, the leading voluntary agency representatives can be involved actively in day-to day operations.

7.   Cash donations to voluntary agencies are preferred. Cash donations to the voluntary agencies experienced in disaster relief help the agencies purchase precisely what the affected community needs, such as food items for the food bank. Cash donations to voluntary agencies help the local economy affected by the disaster because money is spent in the local area. Cash donations also eliminate the difficult transportation and logistics requirements necessary for the donations of goods.

8.   Information management IS essential: During a large-scale or catastrophic disaster, several thousand calls can be anticipated. A phone bank us the backbone of a successful donations management operation. The public should know where to call to discuss and coordinate their offers before they collect and send goods and volunteers to the disaster area. A volunteer and donations phone bank must be adequately staffed to give the caller accurate and timely information about the need for donations of goods and volunteers.

These key elements needs to be of high attention during each phase of disaster management. The elements of the volunteer and donations management system establish a consistent flow of information and goods to help manage operational activities.

References:

1.   Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network: Managing Spontaneous Volunteers in Times of Disaster:  The Synergy of Structure and Good Intentions  www.PointsofLight.org/Disaster

2.   FEMA Materials:  “When Disaster Strikes … How You Can Help” (L-217 English and Spanish – FEMA Publications