How To Support Hurricane Melissa Victims And Avoid Fake Charities

Where good intentions lead people after disaster strikes, bad actors can follow.

The reminder comes from the Jamaican government, the U.S. Better Business Bureau and various attorneys general after Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, caused catastrophic wind damage, severe flooding, and widespread infrastructure destruction across the northern Caribbean earlier this week.

Jamaica took a direct hit from Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, when it made landfall with sustained winds of 185 mph. The powerful storm that caused near-total devastation in Jamaica also damaged parts of Cuba and Haiti, as well as the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.

At least 28 people have been killed across the region, and authorities say more casualties are expected. Damage estimates could exceed $50 billion. The U.S. State Department has deployed several dozen disaster relief workers, including urban search and rescue teams, to help Caribbean island nations respond to the devastation.

An outpouring of humanitarian efforts has been met with multiple scams, including fake charities, artificial intelligence-generated videos, and fraudulent websites, according to warnings.

The Better Business Bureau has warned that scams take advantage of the chaos and emotions surrounding natural disasters to steal money or personal information. Common scams to watch for include:

• Fake charities mimicking legitimate disaster relief organizations that are promoted on fraudulent websites and social media;
• AI-generated cams that create convincing fake images and videos to solicit donations; and
• Unverified crowdfunding scams on social media; donate only to established charities with proven disaster relief experience.

Given the sophistication of artificial intelligence and other tools used to create such scams, they can be hard to spot. After a disaster, experts recommend donating only to verified charities.

GoFundMe, considered the largest crowdfunding sources for medical emergencies and disaster relief, has launched a centralized hub housing all verified fundraisers related to Hurricane Melissa, as well as nonprofits providing on-the-ground relief. More fundraisers will be added as they are verified.

Consider These 20 Charities

While verified GoFundMe campaigns are safe, many experts have historically advised donating directly to organizations that are already logistically set to provide relief efficiently. Here are 20 to choose from:

1. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund supports community-based organizations that address medium- and long-term recovery needs, such as rebuilding homes and livelihoods and connecting survivors to disaster case management and legal services.

2. GlobalGiving, which has been awarded the highest possible rating by Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and GuideStar, has a relief fund for local, vetted organizations in the Caribbean. The charity provides immediate assistance and also funds long-term needs.

3. In preparation for and following the hurricane, Direct Relief has sent medical supplies and hurricane preparedness kits to the area. The organization also manages the Caribbean Resiliency Fund, which focuses on developing disaster-resistant infrastructure, such as solar-powered health clinics, throughout the region.

4. American Friends of Jamaica, a New York-based organization with strong connections to local Jamaican relief efforts, has established a $1 million matching fund dedicated to supporting relief and recovery in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.

5. GiveDirectly is raising money to provide immediate cash assistance to families in Jamaica severely affected by Hurricane Melissa. These funds will allow them to purchase essential items like food, shelter, and diapers in the coming weeks.

6. Staff from the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) are on the ground in Haiti and are initiating airlift operations to Jamaica with essential supplies such as hygiene kits, food, generators, and tarps. Donations to CORE will support these immediate relief efforts and contribute to long-term recovery initiatives, including debris removal and home rebuilding.

7. Airlink, which has responded to disasters in the Caribbean since 2010, is working with more than a dozen partners to move critical aid to impacted areas amid widespread airport closures. The Washington, D.C.-based charity is accepting cash donations and donations of frequent flyer miles, which it says could speed up the deployment of aid workers to disaster-hit zones.

8. Americares, a Connecticut-based charity focused on health care, plans to send a team to the region to work alongside local partners in assessing medical needs.

9. CARE, an international anti-hunger and anti-poverty organization, is accepting donations for first aid, hygiene supplies, emergency food rations, water and water treatment kits, and other shelter supplies in Jamaica and other areas in the Caribbean.

10. Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Church, is seeking donations to provide emergency shelter, clean water and other essential supplies to families most at risk. The agency has extensive experience supporting emergency response efforts across the region for decades, with a team of 100 staff in Haiti and local partners in Jamaica and the region.

11. The New Orleans-based solar energy nonprofit Footprint Project plans to ship more than 150 portable solar and battery power stations from Florida to Jamaica. It also plans to deploy pre-positioned microgrid equipment in the Caribbean from Puerto Rico and Barbados. The organization accepts cash donations to support the logistics of its operation, including equipment installation and maintenance.

12. The U.S.-based Global Empowerment Mission has committed $10 million in aid for Jamaica and has already deployed cargo planes and shipping containers to Jamaica, where it has a team on the ground in Kingston, and Haiti. Additionally, the charity has an Amazon Wish List.

13. Good360, a Virginia-based charity, is coordinating relief efforts with its partner, Global Empowerment Mission, and other international relief agencies to assess the needs on the ground and deploy pre-position supplies, generators, shelter materials and other essentials.

14. The nonprofit food relief organization Mercy Chefs is seeking donations for its disaster response in Jamaica and Cuba. The organization said a ship stationed in Puerto Rico is stocked with tons of food and supplies to be distributed by team members in the area.

15. The international health and humanitarian aid organization Project HOPE said it has mobilized a team in Jamaica and is working closely with local and international partners to identify the most urgent health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and mental health needs in Jamaica’s most affected communities.

16. World Vision said its teams in Haiti are ready to support 4,000 households with food, clean water, hygiene kits and shelter materials. The charity also plans to relief efforts in Jamaica with flood buckets, generators, hygiene kits, tarps and other emergency equipment.

17. World Central Kitchen is accepting donations to support its response in Jamaica, where teams are working with local partners to serve fresh meals to families affected by the hurricane.

18. The United Nations’ World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian organization, is seeking donations to help the most at-risk communities within a matter of hours.

19. The American Red Cross is supporting U.S. military personnel in Cuba and assisting people relocated to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, as well as working with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help people facing the catastrophic damage.

20. The International Medical Corps prepositioned medical, wound-care, hygiene and food supplies, and planned to deploy an emergency response team ready when conditions permitted it.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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