Give smart: How to help Hurricane Harvey relief efforts safely

In addition, American Airlines announced that from now through September 24, AAdvantage members will earn 10 bonus miles for every $1 donated to the Red Cross.

Donating online is secure and tracable.

Reese says if you want to donate to a charity less known, do your homework.

One of its top recommendations is to work with trusted disaster relief organizations with years of proven experience rather than with newly formed or unknown organizations. The Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton is partnering with rescue groups such as Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to transport and accept as many animals as it can. Charities that do not have staff in affected areas may have difficulty bringing in aid workers. However, as with early withdrawals, loans remove money from investments meant to grow and provide income to you in retirement. These funds will help provide immediate resources across the state of Texas including food, water, and cleaning supplies, and will aid in long-term rebuilding efforts.

You can help, but keep some things in mind. Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz’s wife, Cari Tuna, is the president of the Open Philanthropy Project, which does extensive research to identify “high-impact” charity projects.

Alan Brill, Senior Managing Director in Kroll’s Cyber Security & Investigations practice, also suggests following the advice of local news organizations that have vetted charities, like the Houston Chronicle,the Texas Tribune and news station ABC13.

Be wary of certain promises and tactics.

Beware of unsolicited and phony email notices that claim to be from a charity asking for your credit card information. “By buying relief products locally or regionally, charities can reduce shipping costs and more rapidly deliver assistance”, CharityWatch says.

Do not donate over the phone unless you are familiar with the organization.

And a big part of helping is making sure donations get to the right place and to the people who need it most. Limit the information to what is needed to process your donation. Never wire money or give cash, recommends the FTC, and be very careful about providing any bank account information.

Be cautious about gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations. But occasionally charities are looking for specific items and are willing to haul it to those in need.

– If a tax deduction is important to you, make sure the organization has a tax-deductible status with the Internal Revenue Service. If the charity is unfamiliar to you, check whether the group is registered with Consumer Affairs’ Charities Registration Section.