Charity solicitations are often made in the wake of natural disasters. Solicitors urge generous individuals to open their hearts and their pocketbooks to disaster victims.

In order to ensure that your money actually helps such victims, consider the following tips before responding to disaster appeals:

• Examine your options instead of giving to the first charity from which you receive an appeal. There will be a variety of relief efforts responding to the diverse needs of disaster victims.

• Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion but short on what the charity will do to address the specific disaster.

• Ask how much of your gift would be used for the disaster mentioned in the appeal, and how much would go towards administrative and fund raising costs.

• Find out what the charity intends to do with any excess contributions remaining after the victims’ needs are addressed.

• Remember there will be opportunities to give in the future. The problems caused by disasters don’t disappear after the headlines do.