The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through November, has already seen two of the strongest storms on record, with hurricanes Irma and Harvey bringing extreme winds, torrential rain and significant flooding to the population centers in their paths. Responses to such storms usually come in four phases, said Katherina Rosqueta, executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania: emergency/search and rescue, recovery, risk mitigation and long-term preparedness.

In that initial phase, when gut-wrenching headlines and images saturate the news, people want to send water, blankets, clothes — items they think will benefit the troubled communities. But that can unintentionally backfire, Rosqueta said, clogging already overwhelmed roadways and communication systems.

Instead, on-the-ground responders need monetary resources that allow them to adapt as the situation changes at the crisis epicenter. And they need it long after the headlines fade, she added.

“Especially in the United States, where we have this really strong philanthropic tradition, people immediately think, ‘How can I help?’ You see this big spike in giving right as the crisis occurs,” Rosqueta said. “But these communities are affected for months, years, sometimes decades.”

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