In U.S., a Multitude of Forces Drains the Spirit of Giving

U.S. disaster relief charities have issued pleas for money to fund short- and long-term efforts.

"These people are going to be suffering for a long time," said Elizabeth Griffin, a spokeswoman for Catholic Relief Services.

In Washington, the Fourth Street Friendship Seventh-Day Adventist Church held a special service Saturday to raise money for victims of the cyclone and the earthquake. The small church collected about $150 from its members, who said they gave what they could afford.

"We are all connected. . . . I think everyone should try to help," said Arnette Ramsey of Takoma Park, who gave $25.

Overall totals are unlikely to reach the levels of giving seen after the tsunami and Katrina, but some charity leaders said these are unfair comparisons because Katrina occurred on domestic soil and the tsunami was an unusual global phenomenon.

The tsunami "had so many factors that cried out, that were of immediate interest to people around the world," said Mike Kiernan, a spokesman for Save the Children. "It hit 12 countries, it took place the day after Christmas . . . and there were individual stories focused on survival and loss that involved Americans and Europeans."

Some donors have lost confidence in disaster relief charities after some agencies' fumbled responses to Katrina and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, said Eric Kessler, managing director of District-based Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors.

"I think a lot of people cringe when the check is written because there is not a lot of confidence in how the money is being used and overseen," Kessler said.

He said many clients are asking sophisticated questions about the impact of their dollars as they consider whether to give.

"They want to see a recovery plan," Kessler said. "They want to know how the money is being used and what impact it is having."

The overriding factor hampering donations, experts said, is geopolitics.

Burma's strict military regime has blocked many foreign reporters and aid workers from entering the country. This has resulted in little media coverage, particularly by television networks. Experts said the round-the-clock coverage by cable news stations of the tsunami and Katrina influenced charitable giving.