PDA recently received communication from Marvin Pervaiz, director of the Church World Service Pakistan office, expressing concern about inappropriate material aid. He received a request to distribute a load of unsolicited clothing that had arrived from abroad, that people wanted to send to hurricane-affected areas. Pervaiz’s response included the following statements:

• “…Earthquake affected areas have received tons of clothing from around the globe, and most of it is not appropriate…”
• Referring to clothes that were already received in Pakistan “…we would like to make sure that clothes that CWS distributes are appropriate and will be received and used…they have to be warm clothing and preferably new — we will not distribute old clothing.”

PDA has a material aid policy that is clearly responsive to needs expressed by partners and beneficiaries, and asks that donors not send materials that have not been requested.

Disaster survivors may have other needs that take priority over donated clothing. Clothes that are left unsorted and undistributed become a health problem, creating a haven for rats, and requiring disaster response personnel to spend time dealing with disposal — time that would be better spent on priority needs.

Presbyterians have been generous in their response to the request for Gift of the Heart Kits, which are requested by partners worldwide responding to disasters. Gift of the Heart Kits are appropriate in most disaster situations, and the need is ongoing.

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