OUR OPINION: Reform the ‘disaster’ of Minnesota’s disaster aid | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota

OUR OPINION: Reform the ‘disaster’ of Minnesota’s disaster aid | Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota: The League is famous for its fiscal conservatism and might have been expected to call for ending disaster relief altogether. But Krinkie’s most recent column doesn’t go there.

Instead, the former Republican state legislator recounts the report’s findings and supports its recommendations.

That’s because right now, the aid process is “a hodge-podge of state and local government programs as well as non-profit agencies working to provide disaster relief services,” Krinkie writes.

And as long Minnesota’s going to be in the disaster-relief business, it might as well do the job right.

“Even in your desire to help others, you need to include accountability,” Krinkie writes.

Here’s a quote from the auditor’s report that captures its basic findings:

Crowdsourcing Community-Based Disaster Relief in Indonesia | iRevolution

Crowdsourcing Community-Based Disaster Relief in Indonesia | iRevolution: Crowdsourcing Community-Based Disaster Relief in Indonesia
Posted on August 21, 2012 | 5 Comments

I just came across a very neat example of crowdsourced, community-based crisis response in this excellent report by the BBC World Service Trust: “Still Left in the Dark? How People in Emergencies Use Communication to Survive—And How Humanitarian Agencies Can Help.” I plan to provide a detailed summary of this important report in a forthcoming blog post. In the meantime, this very neat example below (taken directly from said BBC report) is well worth sharing.

Commission publishes new guidance on disaster relief appeals

Commission publishes new guidance on disaster relief appeals: The Charity Commission has published new guidance on starting, running and supporting charitable disaster appeals.

It is intended to provide information and advice to charities as well as members of the public who want to give much needed help to people affected by a disaster or other humanitarian crisis.

The public’s natural reaction to a disaster is to do as much as possible to help, as quickly as possible.