Something happens. A natural disaster strikes. A community experiences tragedy or loss. You want to do something. But what? And how? With whom? And importantly, why?
There is no single way to organize a response. Each event or action at the local, national, or international level brings with it unique circumstances, pressures and opportunities, and impacts communities and individuals in different ways. Before taking action, take the time to pause and reflect on your motivations, interests, knowledge, skills, experience and more. An important aspect of effective response is to ensure that no harm or unintended consequences result from response efforts, so take the time to thoughtfully prepare.
Scheduling an advising meeting with Jessica Hoppe Dağcı and considering the questions below are two great steps in beginning to organize a response.
Getting Started: Questions to Consider
Why do you want to respond?
Before taking any actions, it is important to identify what is calling you to want to act. Understanding your motivations gives you a foundation for making decisions and communicating your intentions to others.
- What personal experiences or values drive the desire to respond?
What are you responding to? What does the community need?
Taking the time to understand the issue you plan to address and how it manifests in real time for those you hope to support is crucial.
- Where are you getting your information on community need? How reputable is the source?
- How can you stay updated if the situation is on-going and/or dynamic?
- Who can you connect with in the community?
- What has the community identified as needs? What matters most to the community?
What can you do? Who can help you?
Whether you are looking to start something new or joining existing efforts, take stock of your strengths, as well as your areas for growth. This will help you identify how you can contribute most effectively and where you can learn.
- What are your current skills or assets?
- What do you need to learn? What are your limitations?
- Who could you learn from? What other groups or individuals have experience with responding to the identified community need?
How will you respond?
Setting realistic goals and expectations for your effort will keep you focused and allow you to manage your engagement.
- What do you want to achieve?
- What do you envision your role to be in the response effort?
- What type of response is needed by the community?
Other Resources
The Pace Center's Field Guide to Service offers additional tools to help you have a positive impact in the community. It provides you with guidance for before, during and after your community engagement experience to ensure that it is as succesful and rewarding as possible.
For individuals interested in training and education related to disaster response, consider:
If you are a graduate student, you may also reach out directly to the Graduate School. If you are an undergraduate, you may want to consider the process of being recognized as an ODUS student organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I go about identifying a reputable disaster relief organization?
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Do research on the community to understand what organizations are active in the impacted area.
Unfortunately, scams proliferate in the wake of natural and humanitarian disasters so sites like Charity Navigator or Candid's GuideStar can be helpful to verify the validity and reputation of an organization.
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I am interested in organizing a donation drive. Where do I start?
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A common response to a disaster is to consider physical donations such as personal hygiene items, blankets, flashlights and clothes, to name a few. It has been shown that these items often have little chance of getting to affected areas in a timely manner. Much more importantly, it is often the case that these items are not what the individuals or community actually need.
View this resource at Philanthropy.com for more on best practices around donating.
If you are considering a drive, you may want to opt for raising funds instead of physical items.
Please note, if you are considering fundraising efforts through a recognized student organization or Princeton sponsored entity there are legal limitations for Princeton University as a tax-exempt institution transferring cash donations to other tax-exempt organizations, so please check with your group advisor or schedule a meeting with Jessica Hoppe Dağci at the Pace Center before getting started.
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I want to organize a disaster relief trip. Can the Pace Center provide me with resources?
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The Pace Center does not coordinate or provide financial support for disaster relief trips.
If you are planning to travel or to join an organization on a disaster relief trip, we recommend that you practice due diligence. Global Safety and Security provides guidance to members of the Princeton community on requirements and restrictions related to travel.
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I am interested in enhancing my knowledge and skills related to disaster response through training. Where can I get started?
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FEMA provides training and education for individuals, communities, first responders and emergency managers.
DisasterReady.org offers free online learning resources and certifications geared toward humanitarian aid.
The American Red Cross also offers a variety of training opportunities both online and in-person.