NEW ORLEANS (ABP) — Although Hurricane Katrina inspired an unprecedented relief response, some of the groups who answered the call were inexperienced and ineffective, according to a charity watchdog group.
The deluge of new and inexperienced charities that responded to Katrina complicated the relief picture, said Sandra Miniutti, director of external relations for the New Jersey-based Charity Navigator.
“The biggest concern that we had was that there were too many groups holding their hands out with no experience in this type of work,” she said. “I think that's a big concern. Also, for the groups that popped up, the brand new charities, to take on a disaster of this scope, it's almost impossible to be effective.”
Many groups emerged post-Katrina that didn't have the same focus, experience, methodology or priorities as established disaster-relief charities, Miniutti said. That meant well-meaning donors sometimes gave money that wasn't used responsibly or efficiently.
“The response was complicated by the compelling nature of the disaster,” said Richard Walden, president and CEO of Operation USA, at a roundtable discussion hosted by Charity Navigator. The storm attracted most of America's “brand name” relief groups, Walden said. “It also attracted America's brand-name religious organizations. And, too, America's brand-name televangelists like Pat Robertson, Franklin Graham and Larry Jones.”
“I think that religious organizations have done a great job of tapping into a base of volunteers over the country,” Miniutti said. That efficiency impressed the American Red Cross, which indicated it probably will partner with more religious groups in the future, she added.
Charity Navigator listed 35 groups as the top-rated nonprofits assisting Hurricane Katrina victims. In addition to the American Red Cross, the charities included World Vision, Desire Street Ministries, Islamic Relief and the Christian Relief Fund.
Among them:
— Samaritan's Purse raised more than $37 million for storm relief and formed help units in Biloxi, Miss.; Kiln, Miss.; and New Orleans. It received one of Charity Navigator's highest overall ratings. Founded in 1970 and led by Franklin Graham, the Boone, N.C., charity starts education, clothing and shelter programs around the world. It also provides medical supplies, food and water in disasters.
Although Samaritan's Purse no longer seeks donations for Katrina relief, its crews have worked on more than 5,100 damaged homes and anticipate repairing another 1,000, according to the report.
— Operation USA raised $8 million through in-kind donations and $2.1 million in cash donations for Hurricane Katrina relief. Besides sending medical supplies and equipment to 60 clinics in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas, the Culver City, Calif., group awarded $700,000 in cash grants to 40 nonprofit clinics in the same region.
One reason Operation USA worked well, the Charity Navigator report said, was because it focused on its strengths — in this case, community health care. According to Richard Walden, the president of Operation USA, one of its most effective strategies involved using pre-existing statewide primary-care units as distribution points for supplies.
— Direct Relief International received one of Charity Navigator's highest ratings for financial health and efficiency. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the long-established organization is a non-political and non-sectarian organization that gives to health programs in poor areas around the world.
Direct Relief raised more than $4.5 million for work with Katrina victims and partnered with clinics in the Gulf States by joining with national associations of community health centers. According to the report, Direct Relief gave $26.7 million in wholesale medical materials. It also maintains wholesale pharmacy licenses in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, so it can make pharmaceutical donations to clinics and health facilities still in need.
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