The best charities to give to in the wake of Hurricane Harvey

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Over the weekend, Hurricane Harvey slammed into the Gulf Coast, destroying homes and infrastructure in Texas, displacing tens of thousands of people, and killing at least eight. As many as 13 million people are under flood watches and warnings.

After landfall, officials ordered several Houston-area counties to evacuate, due to fears of more flooding. Experts are forecasting up to 50 inches of rain in and around Houston, making many homes inhabitable. An estimated 30,000 people will likely need to find refuge in shelters, since flooding will linger, according to The Washington Post.

Victims in Texas and Louisiana will likely need millions of dollars in aid. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he believes Congress will act swiftly to provide funding to affected areas. Charities — both big and small — will also step in.

But not all charities are created equal. Charity Navigator, a nonprofit that has independently rated over 8,000 charities, compiled a list of some of the best organizations to donate to in the wake of Harvey. Its team considers several factors when giving a charity a score out of 100. These include program expenses (e.g. how much of the donations go straight to victims) and transparency (e.g. audited financials prepared by an independent accountant).

The charities that Charity Navigator recommends for Hurricane Harvey, along with their scores out of 100, are below.

Note: Right now, it is not clear whether all these organizations will spend 100% of donations received on Hurricane Harvey relief and associated expenses. But in past large-scale disasters, high percentages of donations have directly gone to victims.

St. Bernard Project — 93.66

Founded in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina, St. Bernard Project works out of a parish near New Orleans. After disasters, the organization rebuilds homes, advocates for recovery strategies, and advises policy makers, homeowners, and business owners about resilience.

More information about St. Bernard Project

Samaritan's Purse — 96.32

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational, Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to people affected by disaster and poverty around the world. It focuses on helping victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine.

More information about Samaritan's Purse

GlobalGiving — 96.46

Founded in 2003, GlobalGiving is a funding platform that helps people find causes they care about. Users select projects they want to support, make a contribution, and get regular progress updates.

More information about GlobalGiving

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