# Are supply drives really an efficient way to help? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242 "2017-09-01T13:14:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/1 "2017-09-01T13:14:31Z")
This morning as I was getting breakfast , I ran into a big supply drive. In order to help victims of Hurricane Harvey, people are filling up a rented box truck with donated supplies. It seems to me that everyone is going out and paying full retail for the supplies they donate, as most people are giving new in package items. Then you add the cost of the truck, and driving it from Maine to Texas. They were even asking people to stop at local stores and buy things to give, with no clear indication of what is really needed. It hardly seems worth the money and effort. Why not just donate the $10 to a Houston-area charity, rather than buy three cereal boxes from the grocery store and have them hauled across the country? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/2 "2017-09-01T13:21:16Z")
As with food banks, give money and take advantage of supply chain efficiencies. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/3 "2017-09-01T14:41:49Z")
I learned a while ago that giving supplies is not the best thing. Not only do problems arise like the OP mentioned (higher costs, don’t get the right things) but also the supplies end up overwhelming the recipients and making more work for the charities on the ground. From [Charity Navigator](https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=310): > [@](#): > > Do Not Send Supplies > Knowing that people are desperately in need of basic supplies like food, water and shelter, it is hard not to want to pack up and send a box of supplies. But this type of philanthropy is simply not practical or efficient. Even if mail could get to an impacted region, no one is set up to receive these goods, much less organize and distribute them to the victims. Furthermore, charities are often able to partner with companies to acquire large amounts of in-kind donations such as bottled water and new clothing. Instead of boxing up and sending your old clothing, have a garage sale and turn your used goods into cash and donate that to a worthy charity. I think people just feel the need to do \*something \*and they also feel that just giving money is crass or un-personal. And as I’m seeing around here, supply donation drives are a great advertising tool for local businesses and organizations :rolleyes: It’s kind of like dick measuring - whoever has the biggest pile of stuff wins! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/4 "2017-09-01T15:46:03Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I think people just feel the need to do \*something \*and they also feel that just giving money is crass or un-personal. You don’t get the fantasy of little refugee children’s faces lighting up at the sight of your Froot Loops getting pulled out of a crate when you’re just writing a check that’ll be used to buy generic corn flakes (and feed 10x more kids, dollar for dollar). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/5 "2017-09-01T17:17:15Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > As with food banks, give money and take advantage of supply chain efficiencies. Yes. Even our local food bank asks for food drives and there isn’t a good reason for it! I give to the state agency that supplies all of them where every dollar buys a shitload of food. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/6 "2017-09-01T17:32:23Z")
It’s not the best idea to send supplies. But **if you must do it** , there are three organizations which can be trusted to get them to those in need: LDS churches, Mosques, and Quaker Meeting Houses. These religions are all very strong organizers with a deeply held and constantly exercised commitment to helping those in need. Quakers often meet in rented spaces though, so when in doubt, look for Mormons or Muslims in surrounding areas\* to receive the supplies and make sure they are distributed usefully. Larger organizations like the Red Cross are receiving supplies in large, carefully planned shipments, and don’t have time to sort through making decisions about individual items. \*Don’t address packages or send trucks to the center of the disaster zone. Packages will end up sitting in the post office waiting until local service is resumed. And fuel for vehicles in that area is at a premium and best saved for organized disaster relief. Aim for an organization about 10 miles out from the disaster circumference. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/7 "2017-09-01T17:43:05Z")
Another thought: Tools, building, and clean-up supplies can be usefully sent to Habitat for Humanity or Rebuilding Together. Again, choose one in the outlying areas. And if you donate the money instead, they can use it far more efficiently, getting nearly two for one compared to your retail spending. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/8 "2017-09-01T20:38:54Z")
The only place supply drives is really useful is when they are in the local area involved and done immediately: by next week the local retail establishments will have been re-opened and replenished. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/9 "2017-09-01T22:06:57Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > The only place supply drives is really useful is when they are in the local area involved and done immediately: by next week the local retail establishments will have been re-opened and replenished. This. The Red Cross has ALWAYS told people that they don’t want their “stuff”; however, other organizations do, and it’s best to know the difference. I haven’t donated yet, but I know that Habitat for Humanity will be getting some money, because they’ll be needing a lot of it. They helped rebuild (among other places) Grand Forks and Joplin after those cities were seriously damaged by natural disasters. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/10 "2017-09-01T22:33:38Z")
A few days ago I saw a news report where the reporter was in a shelter standing at the base of what looked like a 12 foot pile of random clothes (it was roughly twice as tall as she was) and talking about conditions in the shelter. There was a woman standing on top of the pile and digging through it. The reporter mentioned that the woman was looking for an extra-large pair of pants. The logistics for handling a random, unorganized collection of stuff and getting it to someone who can use it are just not there in the middle of a disaster. They don’t even have hangars and racks to organize clothes on. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-supply-drives-really-an-efficient-way-to-help/795242/11 "2017-09-02T03:03:19Z")
What is all boils down to is: Money is highly fungible and everything else isn’t. So just send them your fungi.