The principal (largest) NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) which are to be found at disaster sites, particularly after hurricanes, are the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.
The organizations cooperate closely, with the Red Cross providing people to operate relocation shelters; the Salvation Army obtaining foodstuffs; and the Southern Baptists processing the food into meals for delivery to the shelters.
All three organizations depend heavily on volunteers, but while the Salvation Army and the Southern Baptists have small professional staffs that receive moderate salaries, the Red Cross has been shown to have a greatly expanded staff and very high salaries at the top levels.
But, to be fair to the Red Cross, their top tier people are running a very large organization that engages in many tasks beyond responding to major disasters. It is possibly under-reported that in urban areas where structure fires displace families out of their homes, the Red Cross often arranges temporary housing, food, and clothing for the displaced.
In addition to food preparation, the Southern Baptists have chain saw teams to clear fallen trees off of houses and roads; "blue tarp" teams to put protective tarps on damaged roofs; "mud out" teams to clean up flooded homes, mobile sanitation trailers with toilets, showers and clothes washers and dryers, and Communications Teams using ham radio equipment in areas where normal communications systems have been disabled. To minimize operational costs they usually sleep in local Baptist churches in the disaster area.
Unlike the Red Cross and Salvation Army, the Southern Baptists do not solicit operating funds from the general public, but rather self-fund their efforts. They also
never accept financial gifts from the people who they help.
If someone wants to contribute to the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Ministry it can be done through a local Southern Baptist church or on the Internet.
Disaster Relief Overview |
NAMB