Tips and Advice Before Giving Money to Tsunami Effort

Jan. 6, 2004 — -- There has been an outpouring of relief funds for victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami. In fact, according to the United Nations, countries from around the globe have already pledged $3 billion to $4 billion in aid -- equating to about $400 per person for more than 5 million affected by the disaster.

Here in the United States, individuals have given hundreds of millions of dollars to charitable relief organizations with the number continuing to rise. Here are some important tips to follow before you make a contribution:

With literally thousands of relief organizations worldwide, searching for one that meets your specific criteria can be daunting. You should seek out charities that spend at least 65 percent of their total expenses on program activities with the remainder going toward fund-raising and administrative expenses. That said, here are some good choices:

Some legitimate organizations have raised sufficient funds for their given efforts and are no longer earmarking donations for tsunami victims. For example, Doctors Without Borders has requested that people stop sending money for the South Asian tsunami victims. As an alternative, they are requesting that donors give to its general Emergency Relief Fund, which enables the organization's humanitarian work in more than 70 countries worldwide. This is the first time the organization has issued such a request.