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Emergency manager urges donors to use vetted disaster funds, not unverified online appeals
Summary
In a brief conversation, an emergency manager in Southern New Mexico advised residents to check official county channels and give to the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico's Greatest Needs Impact Fund rather than relying on unverified GoFundMe pages; speakers also discussed donating water and other needed supplies.
An emergency manager in Southern New Mexico urged residents to donate to established disaster funds and to check official county channels before giving, saying that vetted funds reach people affected more reliably than unverified online appeals.
"As an emergency manager, I can tell you that they are top notch," the Emergency Manager said of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico. "It's called the greatest needs impact fund, and all the money they collect for disasters in New Mexico goes directly to those impacted by that disaster or emergency." The manager advised donors that those funds can support individuals, families and businesses both immediately and as needs evolve.
A resident in the conversation said she had considered donating directly through social media and crowdfunding. "I saw some GoFundMe accounts," the Resident said. "All funds were going directly to this cause. So it has to be true." The Emergency Manager warned that online accounts are not always trustworthy and recommended verifying requests through county Facebook pages or the community emergency manager.
The Resident described a recent donation of supplies: "I purchased a couple cases of water because what if they don't have any water or they need drinking water?" The Emergency Manager said community channels typically indicate what is most needed and that donors should follow those instructions rather than assuming which items to bring.
The conversation emphasized two consistent steps for potential donors: confirm needs with official local emergency-management or county communications, and give through recognized local nonprofits such as the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico's Greatest Needs Impact Fund instead of unverified crowdfunding campaigns.
For donors unsure how to help, the Emergency Manager suggested checking county or emergency-management social media pages for up-to-date guidance and recommended contacting established local relief organizations.
