November 21, 2009
UTNE READER

Like a Good Neighbor The Disaster Network is There

November 13, 2002
Nick Garafola 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Like a Good Neighbor, The Disaster Network is There

RELATED CONTENT

When disaster strikes close to home, many people feel compelled to help by sending food and clothing or by showing up in person to provide assistance, but the Disaster News Network has a message for them: stay home and send money. Of course, saying that in a nice way isn't always easy.

The Disaster News Network (DNN) is nonprofit online news service that covers disasters from the day they happen until the last volunteer team leaves the scene. They get the story out to the public and serve as the eyes and ears of professional responders, writes Jason Zasky of Failure magazine. They've seen first-hand how people who just want to help can end up doing more harm than good. DNN officials say many people with good intentions send an overabundance of unneeded items that have to be stored and redistribute and suggest that people who really want to help should send money to one of the disaster response organizations. A list of the most efficient and effective organizations can be found on DNN's Web site.

If people feel a need to do more than send money, they can show up and volunteer, but they should wait a couple of months. By that time all of the volunteers who flocked to the scene of the disaster will have gone home and there will be more than enough work to do.
--Nick Garafola
Go there>>

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!