Donations

Making a financial contribution to a volunteer agency involved in disaster relief is the best way of helping people in need after a disaster:

• Relief agencies will often spend the money in the local disaster area. This helps the local economy get back on its feet.
• Cash donations allow relief agencies to make purchases that precisely meet survivors' needs or to provide vouchers for people to purchase what they need.
• Cash donations avoid the complicated, costly, and time-consuming process of collecting, sorting, packing, transporting, unloading, resorting, storing, repackaging, and distributing donated goods.
• Cash donations to recognized relief organizations are tax deductible.

To donate funds, visit the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City online.

Before donating any goods, including food or clothing, wait for instructions from local officials or check with a specific organization. Unneeded items overwhelm the recovery effort and may go to waste. However, organizations involved in disaster relief that accept used goods year round have the infrastructure to either distribute materials during disasters when needed or simply sell those items to raise money for their disaster relief efforts. Please do not drop off any in-kind donations to an affected area.

• Find local places to donate goods through donateNYC.
• Make a food donation through Food Bank for New York City or City Harvest.

New York City needs approximately 2,000 people to donate blood every day to maintain its supply. Blood reserves are perishable and constantly needs to be replenished. Donating blood is a great way to contribute to the emergency preparedness of the City as a whole. One pint of donated blood can save up to three lives, and one out of every three people will need a life-saving transfusion at some point in their lifetimes.

To donate blood, visit The New York Blood Center online.

New Yorkers often support relief efforts in the wake of international disasters. The City urges New Yorkers who want to help international survivors of disasters to make monetary donations to established charities, which will distribute donations to appropriate relief agencies. For more information, visit American Council for Voluntary International Action and/or UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs online for information about making donations to such organizations.