I usually donate through the Salvation Army but the first organization I heard about in the early stages of making donations was Samaritan's Purse so that is who I donated through. I know the Red Cross does a lot of good but I've heard too many negatives so I prefer Salvation Army for the same reasons you do.

It is so wonderful to see churches, police and fire departments here in my area of Georgia, filling big trucks and heading out for Texas. We took some donations to the police department Sunday and are going back again today with cat and dog food, plus a check for gas or food for the drivers.

Walmart (as one example) partners with the Red Cross and has a long history of doing so. This is why people who have experienced disasters are able to get new bedding, clothing and essentials instead of someone's discards. Those boxes of clothing etc. will not go directly to the victims. They will be sold at thrift stores to generate more funds to provide people with basic necessities along with things like replacing eye wear, seeing the prescriptions are filled, temporary shelter,getting them fed etc. The Red Cross also provides vouchers and debit cards to victims who can then shop for new items they need at partnered businesses. Walmart is taking the most essential goods on these trucks. In smaller disasters people take their vouchers to the partnered companies for everything from new beds to underwear.

http://news.walmart.com/2017/08/30/walmart-and-the-walmart-foundation-announce-up-to-20-million-toward-hurricane-harvey-relief-and-recovery

The Salvation Army is also requesting funds over discards. They are out there with food trucks providing meals and social services to those displaced.

The truck loading this morning was filled with items to give directly to those in need. I think some people even paid for the truck fuel. This wasn't a Walmart truck, just using their parking lot. It looked like people had made a good amount of homemade foods for people as well as pets. Cash is of course good, but other things can also say love.

Sending goods/don't send goods has presented quite a quandary! All one can do is follow the guidelines of the distribution center your group/organization is sending to.

The first truck left our area on Thursday morning, ahead of the intended schedule because it was full the day before. They had already started filling a second tractor trailer. Then, word started getting out that goods should not be sent. Money was the best way to go. The church organizers panicked, not sure what to do. So many people had advance notice and were, at the very moment, working to fill the truck. You can't just suddenly say to people that we are no longer accepting donations, they don't want it down there. Money only.

Fortunately, by that time, the truck was already down there and the driver said, Yes!, send it on! He said many things were going right off the truck into peoples cars. Particularly air mattresses, play yards, portable chairs. And the distribution center said, Yes!, send it! So, the second truck left on Saturday afternoon. But they also followed the guidelines of the church distribution center, which asked for no clothing and no used items. Also, different groups have been raising cash. We had bbq chicken dinners Sunday. $10 a plate, a little more than usual, but it was for a great cause and tasted delish! Our volunteer fire department knows how to bbq chicken!

ETA: Just looked at the church website and I was wrong. They are accepting clothing items such as socks and t shirts that are pre-packaged. This is the group my community is working with. I'm sure different organizations have their own guidelines.