Direct Relief is committed to respecting donor privacy, and will not sell, share, or otherwise disclose information about you to any outside party. Direct Relief also has a policy of not sending mail or email on behalf of other organizations. Direct Relief may occasionally send you a thank-you message or news and insights about the organization’s efforts, but will never send fundraising solicitations. If you prefer not to receive mail or email you may notify Direct Relief of your preference by contacting us via telephone or email.
It is Direct Relief’s practice to recognize donors by listing them in the organization’s annual report and on the donor wall at its headquarters. If you prefer not to receive recognition, you may notify Direct Relief of your preference. Direct Relief will honor your request and your name will not appear in any annual reports or public displays.
Anonymous Donations
Some people prefer to donate without revealing their identity to the charities they support to avoid being spammed with fundraising solicitations or other unwanted communication, or having their personal information sold or disclosed to other organizations. Direct Relief will never do either of those things, but if you wish to remain anonymous Direct Relief will gratefully accept your gift and honor your preference. Some common ways to make an anonymous gift include:
- Donate Through a Donor-Advised Fund: If you want to conceal your identity, you may decide to work with a donor-advised fund that will contribute on your behalf. Direct Relief would not know your name, address, or any other personal information. Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Vanguard, and Schwab Charitable are three of the largest donor-advised funds.
- Donate Through a Community Foundation: Similar to a donor-advised fund, you can set up a fund through your local community foundation. You can to this anonymously and the community foundation will not share your personal information with Direct Relief.
- Donate Online: You can make a gift through a third-party website that serves as a clearinghouse for charitable donations. Two examples are PayPal Giving Fund and Network for Good. Both of these options function much like a donor-advised fund, except that they process donations through the donor’s credit card. You can choose whether to remain anonymous or be identified to the recipient charity. Either way, you get a tax receipt from PayPal Giving Fund or Network for Good.
- Mail a Money Order: You can go to your bank, credit union, the U.S. Post Office, or other convenient location and purchase a money order. Unlike a cashier’s check that you get from a bank that must have your name on it, money orders can be bought and sent anonymously.
The information on this page is for general information only and should not be taken as legal, tax, or financial advice. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these options, and there are other options not included here. You should discuss your objectives and personal situation with a trusted professional advisor before making any decisions about how to donate anonymously.
Questions, comments, or concerns?
If, at any time, you have questions or would like to review, correct, or remove your personal information collected by Direct Relief, please contact us via email or telephone and a member of the team will be happy to assist you.
California residents may access the NAVEX Global Data Subject Rights web intake site for information on how to make a report to request deletion of their personal data.