Few things impact us more deeply than the powerful photos and heart-wrenching stories of those devastated by natural disasters. Hurricanes Helene and Milton are two recent examples of hard hit areas needing our support. You may want to help, but where do you start and who should receive your donations?

Look no further than local community foundations. They are established and trustworthy organizations that are ingrained in the communities they serve. Since they are typically geographically focused, they know the best way to get the donations where they are immediately needed—whether it be for medical supplies, shelter, food or unexpected needs brought on by the disaster. They can get money out rapidly to vetted nonprofits who can provide targeted and much needed assistance to their community.

For example, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina activated its Emergency Disaster and Response Fund to receive donations immediately after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. Recognizing that many people didn’t have internet access, they provided multiple ways to connect with them. To date, they’ve distributed more than $4 million to support disaster recovery in this area as they continue to work with other nonprofit organizations in Western North Carolina.

A more localized disaster was the collapse of the Key Bridge. The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel Community (CFAAC) participated in briefings and conversations with government and local officials and contacted the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF), a member of the Maryland Community Foundation Association, to identify needs, determine how we could best meet those needs and offer our support. Read more.