Floods are devastating events; Depending on the severity of the situation, victims can lose everything they have: their home, their jobs and even their families. There are many ways to help people in need with cash donations or even by volunteering in rebuilding works.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Evaluating How To Help
Step 1. Find the area where the flood occurred
Chances are you have a specific natural disaster in mind, but if you are not aware of all the small-scale floods that occur in the world, the first thing to do is to identify the regions that have suffered this disaster and that need help..
- Depending on the location, different humanitarian organizations intervene to coordinate aid.
- If the natural disaster occurred in Italy, the Civil Protection and the Red Cross are most likely involved.
- If it is an international problem, consult the UNICEF website or other global organizations to find out if they will provide relief in the affected area.
- Check the organizations' web pages or call your local office directly to find out what kind of help they are providing and the best way to contribute from you.
Step 2. Stay informed and updated on developments
As needs change, your intervention needs to change as well, some aids may be more in line with your skills and resources than others.
- Different needs arise in the various moments of the crisis. For example, basic needs need to be met in emergency conditions immediately after the natural disaster, while afterward it is necessary to think about long-term needs, such as rebuilding homes.
- Sometimes, certain organizations reach maximum capacity for some donations (clothes for example), but fail to accumulate enough aid in another area. The best way to know which are the main areas of intervention is to check often the evolution of the situation and aid, by calling the associations or checking their web pages.
Step 3. Decide how you would like to help
There are several ways to contribute, each of which has advantages and disadvantages, as detailed in the next sections of the article.
- If you have any extra savings or economic resources, consider donating money; if you have the time, skills, or other supportive resources to offer instead of money, you can make them available to the people who need them.
- There are positive and negative sides to each type of intervention: cash donations allow you to act quickly and put resources in the hands of the humanitarian organizations that decide what is the best way to support the victims. However, this method does not let you know if everything you offer reaches people in need directly (before committing to a donation, do some research to know exactly how associations manage financial resources). One of the main advantages of volunteering over paying money is that it gives the feeling of being really helpful by interacting with the victims; a potential disadvantage is the possibility of putting one's own safety at risk by traveling in flooded areas.
Method 2 of 4: Donate
Step 1. Make a cash donation
Sending financial resources is an effective and simple way to offer help.
- Make sure you allocate the money to reputable organizations, such as UNICEF, the Red Cross or Emergency; Unfortunately, there are also some groups that fraudulently raise money right after a disaster to rob well-meaning donors.
- Find out if you can send a donation via text message. This is a method that has become very popular; associations provide a phone number and a keyword that allows people to make donations, the amount is then charged to their phone bill. It's as simple as sending a message, but with much greater value!
Step 2. Donate goods
If you have extra items or items you don't need, consider giving them away to flood victims.
- Little used clothes, socks, shoes, bed linen and blankets are always very useful for the people of a water-ravaged region.
- You can also help children by sending them books and toys.
- Purchase and donate new, non-perishable food items, such as bottled water.
- First aid kits, camping tents, mosquito nets, soap and other hygiene products could also be very useful.
Step 3. Donate blood
Floods cause serious injuries and blood may be needed soon after the disaster. If there is a blood transfusion center in your area that collects blood, you meet the age and health requirements, consider becoming a donor.
Step 4. Offer your vacation
Some large companies, especially those operating internationally, allow employees to use their leave or vacation hours and transfer them to people who cannot go to work due to the flood. Check with your company's personnel department to find out if this is feasible.
Method 3 of 4: Become a Volunteer
Step 1. Do volunteer work in the flooded area
If conditions are safe enough for you to travel to the region, contact aid organizations to find out if they need "manpower" on the ground.
- If you meet the physical, age, health and education requirements, consider joining the Civil Protection. This organization intervenes throughout the national territory, when the need arises, coordinating the necessary efforts to resolve the crisis; it also plays a role in monitoring and preventing natural disasters. After completing the required training, you can become an active operator and be called in an emergency, just like a natural disaster.
- Consider volunteering to clear areas of debris and help homeowners recover their possessions; in Italy they are not very common, but there are humanitarian bodies that help people to rebuild their homes.
Step 2. Offer your professional skills
Your time and talents can be valuable to people in need.
- If you are a doctor, check if you can intervene directly or donate medical supplies;
- If you are a construction contractor or bricklayer, offer yourself as labor, donate materials or other resources for reconstruction;
- If you are a teacher or looking after children, provide support and assistance to families who have lost their homes and their children;
- If you have a business operating near the flooded area, offer discounts or free goods / services to those affected by the disaster.
Step 3. Volunteer outside the affected area
Even if you are not physically "on the pitch", you can still make a big difference.
- Stay in touch with the local branches of the humanitarian organization that works with the victims and offer your help at their call center, fundraising office or "helpline".
- You can also become the link between your community and the association by collecting local donations and bringing them to the regional office of the organization.
Method 4 of 4: Offer Other Types of Support
Step 1. Offer shelter
If you live near the disaster-stricken area and your home is intact, consider hosting a family that has lost their own along with all their belongings.
Step 2. Consider offering spiritual support
Many people rely on faith in times of crisis, receiving emotional and spiritual strength from the church and religion.
- If you are part of a religious organization or congregation, encourage spiritual leaders to reach out to victims and offer tangible support.
- Some large religious associations send chaplains who specialize in critical situations in areas that suffered the natural disaster, so that they can coordinate efforts, as well as provide emotional and spiritual support to those in need.
- If you are a faithful, pray for the victims of the flood and / or give them a moment of reflection; open your heart to the various ways you can help and try to be comforting.
Step 3. Offer emotional help
In addition to all other types of humanitarian intervention, you can also engage in simple gestures that show your interest in the victims.
- Ask how you can maximize your help; people in need may need a home cooked meal, someone to take care of their pets or take pictures of the damage they have suffered and then file a petition with the insurance company.
- Listen carefully and remember that sometimes it is best to just hear and offer no opinion or solution until specifically asked.
- Remember that victims need help in the days, months and even years following the natural disaster; be aware that new needs and problems can continue to develop even after the waters have receded.
Warnings
- Do not enter the flooded areas without the authorization of the Civil Protection and if you are not part of a humanitarian organization; it could be dangerous for you and even useless for the victims.
- Make sure the association you donate to is trustworthy so that your money goes to those who need it.
- Do not provide psychological help or psychiatric support unless you are a licensed mental health professional.
