Here's How You Can Help The Victims Of Typhoon Mangkhut, The Biggest Storm This Year Yet

As mentioned above, it is ideal to donate to local organizations based in disaster-affected areas during relief and recovery, since these organizations know their communities best. There are many local organizations working on relief and recovery in the wake of Typhoon Mangkhut. The organizations below reflect just some of the dozens of local initiatives already underway in the Philippines, a country which experienced a significant number of fatalities as a result of the storm.

• Tulong Kabataan is a disaster relief organization based in the Philippines that is working to provide food, water, and other necessities to victims in the country. You can donate to the organization via PayPal.
• Gawad Kalinga is a Philippines-based organization that is aiming to provide at least 5,000 meals per day for at least seven days for the victims of Typhoon Mangkhut, among other initiatives. You can donate to the organization via its website.
• The Philippine Red Cross is an independent, locally-led Red Cross organization working to provide emergency assistance following Typhoon Mangkhut. You can donate to the organization online. You can also contribute via bank deposit or text message using the information provided on this page.

In addition to supporting local organizations, you can also consider donating to international relief groups that are assisting victims of Typhoon Mangkhut — especially those organizations with local partners or offices.

The following are a few (of many) international organizations with active Typhoon Mangkhut relief and recovery initiatives:

• Save the Children is an international NGO that has offices in the Philippines and China. According to Save the Children Philippines CEO Alberto Muyot, "Save the Children has a long history of responding to typhoons and other disasters in the Philippines." The organization is requesting donations for its Typhoon Mangkhut fund, which will provide water and hygiene kits to families and set up temporary educational centers so children can still maintain their schooling in the wake of the storm. You can donate to this fund via Save the Children's website.
• CARE is an NGO that has worked on disaster relief in the Philippines since 1949. On its website, the organization noted it is working with its local partners, Cagayan Valley Disaster Response Center & Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services, to manage relief and recovery efforts following the typhoon. You can donate to the organization's relief fund here.
• World Renew is a nonprofit organization that has been working in the Philippines since 2013, following another devastating storm, Typhoon Haiyan, according to the New York Times. It has an already-established network of responders in the northern part of the country. On its website, the organization noted it is closely affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines and said it plans to use its local church network to "respond quickly to families in need." You can donate to its Typhoon Mangkhut fund here.
• The American Red Cross has been contributing significantly to relief efforts in Guam, which is a United States territory. Among other endeavors, the organization has distributed hygiene and emergency supply kits, as well as visited homes to survey them for damage. You can donate to the Red Cross' disaster relief fund here.

In addition to donating directly to local organizations, you can also donate to a fund that will then disperse donations to a host of local initiatives. At least two organizations are sponsoring these types of funds:

• Global Giving is a nonprofit that funds relief efforts of local organizations, saying it "believe[s] that organizations that are deeply-rooted in local communities are best positioned to provide long-term support for survivors of natural disasters like typhoons." You can donate to Global Giving's Typhoon Mangkhut relief fund, which will support local first responders and then long-term recovery efforts, via its website.
• Give2Asia is an organization that "strengthens communities throughout Asia by building trusted networks for charitable investment." It is currently collecting funds to mobilize the typhoon responses of three local organizations in the Philippines — and may soon fund additional endeavors in other storm-affected countries. You can donate to its Typhoon Mangkhut fund here.

Some individuals who have been affected by the typhoon have launched GoFundMe campaigns in the wake of the disaster. For example, this GoFundMe campaign was created by a man seeking to rebuild his father's home in the Rota, an island in the Pacific Ocean. Another campaign was launched by a team trying to repair a flooded school in the Philippines.

If you wish to contribute to more individually-targeted projects, consider donating to a GoFundMe campaign. You can find typhoon-related funds by simply typing "Typhoon Mangkhut" into the GoFundMe search bar. However, keep in mind that if funds are not directly targeted (for example, there are some campaigns that are seeking to provide broad disaster relief funding as opposed to helping a specific cause), you may be better off donating to already-established locally or internationally-led relief efforts.

In addition to donating yourself, it is also helpful to spread the word about Typhoon Mangkhut relief and recovery efforts to those around you, including to individuals in your personal and professional networks. Consider sharing information about donation options with friends and family and encourage them to contribute their resources, if possible. Moreover, consider using social media to promote organizations' donation drives and to encourage your wider social circle to contribute.

There are certainly many ways to help the victims of the devastating Typhoon Mangkhut. If you are considering providing assistance, do not hesitate to do so, as there are many people urgently in need of aid.