Top 10 Worst Things Donated in Disasters: Debunking the Myth of Donations

With disasters brought about by natural calamities occurring more frequently these past few years including the recent Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) that destroyed homes, livelihood and towns in the Philippines, it is nice to know how much help the said country is getting from different parts of the world. Any kind of help is welcome from anyone. However, there are things being donated that aren't exactly ideal for survivors of such calamities. According to HowStuffWorks, there are things being donated after disasters that are some of the worst to give out.

"We have been overwhelmed by disorganized generosity," said a relief worker who helped out in 2011 after a tornado hit Joplin, Missouri (MO).

Below is a list of the Top 10 worst things donated in disasters.

1. Money to the Wrong People - some unscrupulous and unethical people take advantage of disasters and set up fake charities and organizations to get money from generous donors to use for themselves. Beware of scammers during this time by doing your research and only donating to trusted organizations that will really give monetary donations to the intended recipients i.e. those affected by the calamities that lost their homes and loved ones.

**To know more about a certain charity and to check if it is legitimate or not, go to the Charity Navigator (click HERE) and GuideStar (click HERE) Web sites. These sites can do a background check on the charities you are interested to donate your money to. They will provide you with vital information including the percentage of donations that go to the affected people and administrative costs and how long the charity has been in business.

2. Unsolicited Help - While volunteers are welcome to help out as much as they can, they should also be aware of the complex work involved in disaster recovery, relief and cleanup. If you really want to personally volunteer, make sure to contact and coordinate with disaster management personnel in the affected areas before going there. Otherwise, you could cause a delay in the relief and recovery operations already going on.

Plus, keep in mind that food, shelter and water is already limited there and adding to the population without being fully prepared to help out will cause more harm than good. Unless you are trained for disaster relief operations, just let the experienced pros handle it. Still, if you really want to help out by being there personally to assist survivors, check out the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) Web site (click HERE) which provides a list of relief organizations that offer advanced training to prepare you to help out in future disasters.

3. Teddy Bears - While these are cute and cuddly, they are unnecessary after disasters and will only add to the junk there.

Matt Cole, one of the organizers of a candlelight vigil for the victims of the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut encouraged donors to donate money instead.

"A teddy bear is wonderful, but a teddy bear can't pay for counseling. A teddy bear can't pay for a funeral," said Cole in a HowStuffWorks report.

4. Mixed Items - Please don't donate inappropriate stuff and junk that cannot be used after a disaster such broken bikes, sex toys, breast milk, wedding gowns and tuxedos. If you are going to donate items, please label the package clearly, identifying its contents to make it easier to sort out and organize. Not only will you help the survivors of the disaster, but also the relief workers tasked to distribute goods to them.

5. Pet Supplies - Please don't send bags of food or litter. Instead, contact the Red Star Animal Emergency Services disaster response team (click HERE). It is the official animal welfare partner of the American Red Cross during a crisis. Or, you can also contact the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society International (HSI), animal welfare and animal rights organizations like the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and coordinate with them on how you can help animals affected by disasters.

6. Medicine - Please don't donate opened, unused or expired medications from your personal supply, particularly prescription drugs. It might make them even sicker or they could be allergic to it and die.

7. Blankets - They are seldom in short supply. According to World Vision, it stocks blankets, clothes, food and other supplies that meet the standards for humanitarian relief in preparation for storms. Of course, this is a case to case basis. If a relief organization asks for blankets, please follow instructions for packing and shipping the blankets to the proper destination.

8. Shoes - Please don't donate high heeled shoes, leather pumps, boots and shoes that aren't practical to wear. Instead, you can give flip-flops or slippers which are more useful in tropical climates and are easier to ship because it is much lighter than shoes.

9. Bottled Water and Canned Food - Food and water are needed and much appreciated in the aftermath of calamities, but individual collections of food shipped to disaster areas is not ideal because these have to be carefully inspected, sorted, organized and repacked before given out to the survivors. It is best left to professionals who have the resources to provide and distribute meals and water for the hungry and the thirsty. Again, this is a case-to-case basis especially for developing countries that are not fully equipped with infrastructure and resources to gather and distribute food and water immediately.

10. Used Clothing - According to HowStuffWorks, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has warned that used clothing is "rarely a useful item" to collect and donate to disaster relief efforts. These can reportedly hinder relief operations because they take time to be sorted out, cleaned, repackaged and distributed. Sadly, some of these used clothing end up unused and as trash.

It is suggested that used clothes be sold instead at yard sales and the proceeds will then be donated to disaster relief agencies such as the Salvation Army or Red Cross. If you want to get rid of your old clothes sitting in your closet collecting dust, you can give it to thrift stores like Goodwill where they will sell it and the money will be given to the poor and needy.

These are the Top 10 worst things donated in disasters. Hopefully, it debunked the myth of donations. Just beware of the "everything is needed" myth and make informed decisions on what to give and where to give it to by doing your research and exercising sound judgment.