How to give to Hurricane Florence relief

Do you want to help communities affected by Hurricane Florence?

Many disaster-relief efforts are underway, and money is what they want most right now.

The National Voluntary Organizations in Disaster explains why on its website, NVOAD.org: Cash is fast, flexible aid. And donations of food and used clothing and household items suck up volunteer time and cost money, as they have to be sorted, evaluated, packaged, shipped and stored. They also may not be what victims need.

The organization has links on its site for donating to 65 member agencies.

• The American Red Cross is accepting donations at redcross.org or by texting "FLORENCE" to 90999. • Global Giving Hurricane Florence Relief Fund has set a $5 million donation goal at globalgiving.org. • United Way Association of South Carolina is accepting donations at uwasc.org. • The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is accepting donations for its Field Investigations and Response Fund at secure.aspa.org. • The Salvation Army is collecting donations at helpsalvationarmy.org, by telephone at (800) 725-2769 or by texting "STORM" to 51555.

• Team Rubicon, military veterans who go help recovery efforts, is taking donations at teamrubiconusa.org.

All still accept donations by check, of course.

Should you still want to donate used clothing, Matthew 25 Ministries accepts donations, via the Tide Loads of Hope program. The organization distributes them to poor people and to those struck by disaster. Donations are accepted at Tide Dry Cleaners stores. The donations may be distributed in the Hurricane Florence area if those communities indicate they need them, according to Joodi Archer, spokesman for Matthew 25 Ministries.

GoFundMe has aggregated Hurricane Florence-related campaigns at gofundme.com/cause/hurricane-florence. It is also accepting tax-deductible contributions through its Direct Impact Fund.