How To Help Those Affected By Hurricane Florence
Floodwaters keep rising in the Carolinas as post-Tropical Storm Florence continues to dump rain on the region. The dangerous storm has already left more than 30 dead and displaced thousands of others, leaving them without electricity or shelter.
In the aftermath of Florence, North and South Carolina officials are encouraging people to volunteer or donate if they can. Here's a guide to how to help.
Why give cash
Cash is king after a disaster, says Julia Brooks, a researcher with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. The initiative analyzes and improves the ways in which communities and professionals respond to emergencies. Brooks has studied dozens of disasters and said that often people's inclination is to donate supplies, but doing so can actually hinder recovery efforts.
"[Supplies] often clog up transportation systems; they become a burden on first responders in the area to manage, sort, warehouse and distribute, and often they aren't even the things that people need on the ground," Brooks said. "The exception is, when credible groups on the ground are requesting specific things and are saying that they are set up to receive them."
When in doubt, she says,
