Saturday Morning

Sympathies and good thoughts — including the hope that they receive as much aid as can humanly be given A.S.A.P. — to the people in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee affected by that big swarm of tornadoes. The news footage looks horrendous.

Wanna help? Every time something like this happens, my mind goes back to another natural disaster — I don't even remember for sure which one — when the lady then in my life said, "We've got to do something to help those poor people." She was talking about rounding up canned goods and blankets and medical supplies and then shipping them to the scene of the tragedy many states away…

…but when she called a rescue agency to ask how to do that, she was told, "Honestly, the best thing you can do is to send money. We don't have to stop and figure out how to transport crates of supplies, some of which we might not need or figure out where they're needed. With money, we can purchase exactly what's needed nearby…or give vouchers to the victims so they can get what they need."

Everything I've read about disaster relief since has convinced me that's the best way to assist. Money. Whatever you can spare.

I send what I can spare to a group called Operation USA. I know some of the people involved in it and I've investigated and found that almost all of what you give them goes to the people in need, as opposed to bureaucratic salaries and fancy offices. They are non-political and quite dedicated to helping victims in any country, including this one. There are other good charities but I doubt any do more good with what you send them.