CLAY COUNTY – Hurricane Ian has left devastation throughout Southwest Florida with its record-breaking storm surge. More than two million Floridians have been impacted by Hurricane Ian, suffering from floods, power outages, home displacements and access to basic necessities such as safe water.

Many charitable organizations are seeking to provide emergency relief and assistance. To assist donors seeking to support relief efforts, BBB Wise Giving Alliance is providing the following giving tips along with a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., those that meet all 20 of the BBB Charity Standards) that are soliciting for Hurricane Ian activities.

Is the disaster appeal clear? The contribution request should clearly identify what disaster relief activities you are supporting. There are many possibilities such as temporary shelter, food, medical care and other emergency needs. Don’t assume what they do based solely on the group’s name.

Does the charity already have a presence in the impacted area? Charities that already have support staff in the impacted areas are more likely to deliver help quickly at a time of immediate need.

Is the charity an experienced relief organization? Experienced relief organizations will be able to provide help with greater speed and efficiency than a newly created effort.

If considering crowdfunding, do you know its procedures? Some crowdfunding sites take measures to vet postings after a disaster, others don’t. Review the site’s policies and procedures to find out. If in doubt, it is always safest to donate to people who you personally know and trust.

Does the organization meet the 20 BBB Charity Standards? We recommend donating to charities that meet all 20 of the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Visit BBB’s Give.org to access free evaluative reports on charities.

The following organizations are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability) and currently announced on their respective websites that they are collecting funds to assist Hurricane Ian relief efforts. Additional BBB Accredited Charities will be added as we learn about their Ian-related activities.

• American Red Cross - Hurricane Ian Activities

• Direct Relief - Hurricane Ian Activities

• GlobalGiving - Hurricane Ian Activities

• Heart to Heart International - Hurricane Ian Activities

• Operation USA - Hurricane Ian Activities

• Salvation Army - Hurricane Ian Activities

• Save the Children - Hurricane Ian Activities

BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org) is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of nationally soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, results reporting, finances, fundraising, appeal accuracy and other issues. National charity reports are produced by BBB’s Give.org and local charity reports are produced by local Better Business Bureaus – all reports are available at Give.org.

BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles and BBB Wise Giving Reports®, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is a difference in viewpoints. For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping consumers find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. Better Business Bureau Serving Northeast Florida and The Southeast Atlantic is one of many local, independent BBBs across North America that provide business profiles on companies within its service area. The area includes Jacksonville, Gainesville, Hilton Head, Lake City, Savannah, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Valdosta and in between.