Dear {FIRST_NAME},Following the devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, killing thousands of people and reducing buildings to rubble we have had a number of calls to the office asking for advice on how to donate safely and ensure that donations are going to the official channels rather than to scammers.The below information has a links to further information to help you support this appeal safe in the knowledge that you are doing so in a safe and effective way. The team at Neighbourhood Watch Scotland hope that this information is useful to you all.The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) today has launched an appeal to support people in Turkey and Syria. This brings together 15 leading aid charities from across the UK to raise funds quickly and efficiently.Money is normally the most useful donation you can make, particularly when giving to charities with experience of operating in crisis zones. As well as enabling aid organisations to get essential aid to people directly in crises zones, it will also help the people fleeing conflict and danger to get exactly what they need, when they need it, no matter where they are and will support the local economy. This is particularly the case in a fast moving humanitarian crisis.The needs in a humanitarian crisis are constantly shifting, and donated goods are not usually the best solution. It can take a lot of resources to manage, sort, and dispose of unneeded items in countries which are providing emergency support. But if your community has already gathered items, and now find that you can’t distribute them as you had first intended, you may want to consider alternative ways to distribute the items so they are used in a positive way. Find out more at Donating and managing goods | Ready ScotlandAdvice is available on Ready.Scot/Humanitarian to help people provide humanitarian support by making donations and volunteering in a safe and effective way.
