Day 1-4 From Heart to Hand— Mastering the Art of Effective Donations | Jim Alvey

In the wake of a devastating wildfire, it is natural for our hearts to ache and our hands to reach out in compassion. However, in our eagerness to help those affected, it is crucial to master the art of effective donations, steering clear of inadvertently causing a secondary disaster. We must understand the significance of channeling our support in a way that truly meets the needs of the impacted community. 

Instead of hastily donating goods without considering their suitability or volume, it is vital to listen to the voices of local organizations working on the ground. By valuing their expertise and collaborating with them, we can ensure our donations make the maximum impact while avoiding overwhelming the already stressed infrastructure. 

Good360 is a national nonprofit organization that works to close the need gap by sourcing donated goods from manufacturers and retailers and connecting them with nonprofit organizations serving people in need. Good360 Good360 helps address logistical challenges through their network of shared disaster relief warehouses and transportation services to get the right goods to those in need as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Listen in as Jim Alvey, Good 360’s Vice President of Recovery and Philanthropy, discussed the importance of assessing long-term needs as opposed to just an initial response, addressing a lack of warehouse space to sort and store donated goods, ideas for pre-positioning essential goods in “resilience hubs” to speed post-disaster response, the complex logistics of transporting and distributing bulk or packaged donations, and much more.